A 30-year-old Jacksonville man is behind bars after police say he kidnapped and raped a woman, then chased her down in his car as she ran for her life.
Authorities say the terrifying incident happened on Wednesday near Huff Drive and Western Boulevard. According to police, the woman managed to jump out of a moving vehicle and flee toward bystanders—but the suspect, identified as Matthew Toenniges, wasn’t done.
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Witnesses reported Toenniges drove onto the sidewalk and grass in a reckless attempt to recapture the woman before eventually fleeing the scene. Officers caught him shortly afterward, not far from where the violent incident occurred.
Matthew Toenniges
Toenniges now faces a stack of charges, including:
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First-degree forcible rape
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First-degree kidnapping
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Assault with a deadly weapon
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Communicating threats
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Assault by pointing a gun
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Assault on a female
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Domestic violence (misdemeanor)
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Reckless driving with wanton disregard
Toenniges is being held in jail on a $200,000 cash bond.
The investigation is ongoing.
