Springfield man accused of breaking in to home of woman, baby

Springfield police claim a man broke into a woman’s home with a baby inside while he was trying to evade police.

Ronald Cantrell Jr., 27, of Springfield, is charged with kidnapping, breaking and entering and obstructing official business in Clark County Municipal Court. He pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday and bond was set at $28,500.

Police began their investigation about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when they were called to a house in the 2400 block of Hilltop Avenue. They were told family members were chasing a suspect away from their property.

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“I briefly spoke with a resident at (the home) who stated the suspect attempted to steal their Honda 250 ATV and fled the area when he was approached,” the affidavit says.

Officers allegedly spotted Cantrell in a tree line near the house, the affidavit says, and then followed his tracks.

“Officers followed the suspect’s footprints in the snow to (a house on Gladden Avenue),” the affidavit says.

The affidavit says police made contact with a woman who told them the man was inside. Officers made an arrest soon after, according to the affidavit.

The woman said she was laying down when Cantrell entered her home.

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“(The woman) stated she was laying on the couch with her 18-month-old daughter,” the affidavit says. “(The woman) stated she heard her dog barking and then heard the west-facing door open, at which time she assumed it was a maintenance person for her residence. (The woman) stated she went into her kitchen to find a white male that she does not know standing inside the kitchen area.”

The woman said the man told her he was being chased by police, the affidavit says, and the woman cooperated with him to ensure the safety of her baby.

Cantrell allegedly began to undress and threw his old clothes in a trash bag and asked for new clothes, the affidavit says. He then allegedly asked the woman to use a cellphone.

“When Mr. Cantrell saw the police in the front of this address, he told (the woman) not to answer the door,” the affidavit says.

The woman did eventually get to the door, the affidavit says.

Cantrell was arrested soon after, the affidavit says.

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