Dramatic DWI Incident Preceded Recent Kidnapping Case in Saratoga Springs
In the late hours of a September night in 1999, in downtown Saratoga Springs, a heavily intoxicated Craig Nelson Ross Jr. was speeding around another vehicle, talking on his cellphone, and veering across the road. Officer Kristen VanWert, with eight years of experience and a notable police lineage, activated her lights to stop Ross’s swerving 1986 Ford pickup, as revealed by an arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital.
When Ross finally halted in a parking lot off Ballston Avenue, Officer VanWert approached his vehicle and immediately detected the strong scent of alcohol on his breath. Ross, engrossed in his phone conversation, ignored her request to hang up and turn off the car. In response, she took matters into her own hands, seizing the car keys.
She then asked Ross to exit the vehicle for a sobriety test. Defiantly, Ross declined, acknowledging that he knew he was intoxicated and expected to fail the test.
At the time, Ross was 22, and his blood alcohol level, later recorded by the police, was an alarming 0.21%, more than twice the legal limit at that time, which was 0.10%—in contrast to today’s 0.08%.
Nearly 24 years after this DUI incident, a chilling turn of events occurred, leading to the rescue of Charlotte Sena, a 9-year-old girl abducted by Ross. He is accused of snatching her off her bicycle at a nearby state park and demanding a ransom.
The recent case underscores the importance of having a well-trained, well-funded local police department. According to Jim Montagnino, the Commissioner of Public Safety for Saratoga Springs, it’s the small details in policing that can make a significant difference.
Officer VanWert, who apprehended Ross in 1999, now has 32 years of service with the department, making her the senior patrol officer. Interestingly, half of the city’s current police force hadn’t even been born when she first donned her uniform.
On the day of the abduction, state police were guarding the Sena family home when a “suspicious” vehicle appeared and the driver dropped a note into the mailbox. This raised concerns, prompting a closer examination. The note turned out to be a ransom demand.
A description of the suspect vehicle was relayed to law enforcement, and forensic investigators began analyzing the document. The first set of fingerprints didn’t match the suspect, but the second set identified Craig Ross. A previous plea deal from 1999 couldn’t erase his fingerprints due to New York law’s specific provisions regarding DUI cases.
State police and federal authorities quickly mobilized tactical teams, rescuing Charlotte from a camper in Ross’s mother’s backyard. Arrested, Ross is now held without bail in the Saratoga County Jail.
In the aftermath, the mother of the accused, Joan Ross, insisted reporters leave her property. Her residence is situated mere yards from the camper where her son concealed the young girl for almost two days.
The successful resolution of this kidnapping case brought relief to law enforcement personnel and the community, with Commissioner Montagnino expressing the sentiment that the safe return of Charlotte Sena was like a dream come true.
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