ARLINGTON Arlington Police arrested Timothy Martin, a 38-year-old Everett resident, on three counts of kidnapping and one count of theft in the first degree for the Oct. 18 carjacking at the Smokey Point RiteAid. At the time of his arrest, Martin was already in custody at the Snohomish County Jail, on unrelated burglary charges and two outstanding warrants.
Martin is suspected of approaching Jessica Sobania, 23, outside the Smokey Point RiteAid at approximately 8:20 p.m. and forcing her to drive southbound on I-5, turning off at the 116th Street exit. The suspect implied that he possessed a knife and threatened to cause bodily harm to Sobanias children, four-year-old Abigail and two-year-old Caleb, whom she had just placed in her silver 2001 Chrysler Town and Country mini-van.
Sobania was able to escape the grasp of the suspect at approximately 8:30 p.m., after shed turned westbound onto 128th Street and pulled into a residential driveway. The suspect demanded that he and Sobania change seats, so that he could drive the vehicle.
After the homeowner whose driveway theyd pulled into noticed that the vehicle had not backed out yet, Sobania ran toward him and screamed for help. The suspect reentered the vehicle and fled the scene, while Sobania immediately contacted the police to notify them that her children were still in the vehicle and an Amber Alert was issued at approximately 9 p.m.
The Arlington and Marysville Police, the Snohomish County Sheriffs Office, the Washington State Patrol and the FBI were all involved in attempting to locate the suspect and the kidnapped children, with the Arlington Police and an FBI Evidence Response Team conducting a search of the vehicle after it, and Sobanias children, were found in the 13100 block of 41st St. NE in Marysville, by employees of the nearby Thomas Machine and Foundry the next morning.
The children were returned safely to their mother at approximately 5:45 a.m. Oct. 19 at the Arlington Police Station, while a search of the area surrounding the vehicle yielded clothing and other items from the suspect which were used to identify him as Martin.
Martin was arrested by Snohomish County Deputies Oct. 29, but Arlington Police officers were able to link him to the kidnapping and theft case in Smokey Point by gathering evidence and witness statements. Martins motive has not yet been established, aside from his desire to leave the Smokey Point area immediately, but his criminal history includes a similar kidnapping and theft in Everett eight years ago when he forced a female into a minivan at knifepoint, to which he pleaded and served a sentence of approximately three years and five months.
According to Arlington Police Chief John Gray, this incident had a safe and successful resolution due to of the information and involvement of not only the citizens who found the vehicle, but also the dedication and persistence of the investigating officers and law enforcement agencies, as well as the cooperation of witnesses.
In an official statement, the Sobania family likewise commended the Arlington Police and the FBI for their hard work, while extending their gratitude to the Arlington and Marysville communities for their support, and to the gentlemen who found our babies, we thank the Lord daily for sending you to the rescue. God bless you.