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LEBANON COUNTY — A Luzerne County man is in the hospital after he was brutally beaten and locked in the trunk of his car by a man he was giving a ride, Pennsylvania State Police say.

His alleged kidnapper is now facing attempted homicide charges.

According to PSP Jonestown, the 64-year-old Luzerne County man stopped on Oct. 20 somewhere in Luzerne County, meeting Bradley John Butler, 42, of Scranton.

According to a police report:

The victim was attempting to be a good Samaritan, offering Butler a ride. When Butler and the victim were approaching Butler’s home, they saw police cars at the home.

Butler, who had an active warrant for retail theft, got nervous and instructed the victim to drive to a secluded area.

Butler allegedly physically assaulted the victim in the vehicle, forcing him into the backseat before getting behind the wheel himself.

Somewhere in Luzerne County, Butler struck a white construction van.

Butler pulled the vehicle over, forcing the victim out of the vehicle. Police say he brutally assaulted the victim before placing his unconscious body in the trunk of the vehicle.

Police say Butler then drove about 100 miles from that location before the vehicle became disabled on Interstate 78 in Lebanon County.

Butler called for a tow of the vehicle, and also called PSP Jonestown to report the incident.

State court records show that Butler was arraigned before Magistrate Kim R. Wolfe in Lebanon County on Oct. 21.

Butler is facing a slew of charges, including attempted murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping to facilitate a felony, kidnapping to inflict injury or terror, several robbery charges, a weapons charge and other related charges.

Bail for Butler was set at $1 million. He was remanded to the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing has been set for Nov. 2 in Lebanon County.

PSP Jonestown is asking that anyone with information on the hit-and-run in Luzerne County call them at 717-865-2194.

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Bradley John Butler, of Scranton, facing numerous charges

By Patrick Kernan

[email protected]

Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan