Lubbock Police Vehicle Kidnapping: Man Faces Serious Charges

A man is facing some very serious charges after kidnapping a woman in a Lubbock Police vehicle. Back in January KAMC news reported that the Lubbock Police Department was dispatched to the 2700 block of 26th Street for a civil disturbance. When police arrived they were unable to locate the subject but were soon alerted by a store employee that the man, now identified as 57-year-old Keith Kalka, was stealing.

While police were searching through Kalka's items he left the store and got into the front seat of a marked officer vehicle driving it away from the store as the officer yelled. The responding officer was able to call in the vehicle as stolen to LPD Communication so they could track the unit. While in the stolen police vehicle Kalka drove east on 25th Street before changing direction and driving north on Boston Avenue before driving through the Texas Tech Campus.

Kalka then made his way into the Jones AT&T Stadium parking lot before approaching a young female college student on her way to class. Kalka told the woman she was under arrest and that he was a police officer, she did as she was told. According to an indictment Kalka willfully and unlawfully seized, confined, kidnapped and carried away the student without her consent. Kalka did drive the woman to a gas station at the intersection of Marsha Sharp Freeway and University Avenue asking if she wanted coffee.

Kalka did drive the vehicle against the flow of traffic on University before driving towards a blocked road under construction from the Jones AT&T Stadium expansion. Kalka did eventually get out of the vehicle with his hands up and was arrested by police and told officers that he stole the vehicle so he could become famous.

The young woman was not injured and was not threatened by Kalka while kidnapped but did confess to police that he did plan on using her as a hostage if police tried shooting at him. Kalka was arrested on charges of Falsely Identifying as a Police Officer, Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, Evading Arrest Detention with a Vehicle, and Unlawful Restraint While in Custody/Committed Facility. Kalka was also recently indicted on federal kidnapping charges and remains in custody at the Lubbock County Detention Center.