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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 6, 2005 Medford man abducts girlfriend at gunpoint By CHRIS CONRAD Mail Tribune A Medford man was arrested early Friday after threatening his girlfriend with a gun and kidnapping her from a friend’s house, Medford police said. The incident began Thursday afternoon when Timothy Allan Shepherd, 21, and his girlfriend, Stephanie Sue Koontz, 20, got into a violent argument at their home at the 300 block of North Ivy Street, police said. During the argument Shepherd punched Koontz several times and choked her. He then threatened to kill her with a 9 mm handgun, Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said. Koontz managed to escape and fled to a friend’s home at the 1100 block of Ninth Street. At 2 a.m. Shepherd drove to the friend’s house and yelled for Koontz to come out. He said that he had the gun, Moran said. Advertisement Koontz emerged from the home but refused to get into Shepherd’s car. "Get in the car or I’m going to kill you," Shepherd reportedly said. He forced her into his car and sped recklessly down Ninth Street. While driving, Shepherd continued assaulting Koontz, punching her several times. The car drove through stoplights and stop signs while he assaulted her, Moran said. Koontz’s friends, concerned for her life, called police. Shepherd was driving southbound on Dark Hollow Road when Koontz struck him, forcing him to stop the car. She fled the car and ran to a nearby house. Shepherd drove away. The residents let Koontz, who had a swollen nose and battered arms and legs from the beating she’d received, into their home and called the police. Police contacted Shepherd by phone, asking him to come to the police station for an interview. "He showed up and told us a different version of events (than Koontz). But she had witnesses on her side," Moran said. Shepherd told police that Koontz started the assault at their house. He said she hit him and he was forced to subdue her, Moran said. Shepherd was arrested at the station and charged with second-degree kidnapping, fourth-degree assault and menacing. He was lodged in Jackson County Jail, where he remained late Friday on more than $1 million bail. If convicted of second-degree kidnapping, Shepherd will face a mandatory sentence of five years and 10 months in prison. Police searched Shepherd’s car at the police station but found no handgun, Moran said. Moran said he’s noticed a slight increase in kidnapping cases recently. He said victims are usually kidnapped by someone they know. "We have very few stranger-to-stranger kidnappings," he said. Reach reporting intern Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail Medford man abducts girlfriend at gunpoint ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Ready-Made Website Templates Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers dvd-r helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Computer Security Home Equity Loans Website Hosting Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Canadian Pharmacy Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Online Casino News Air Purifiers Hotel/Motel Reservations Advertisement s