Ex-caretaker accused of kidnapping at casino

A man already accused of assaulting a woman he used to care for now is accused of kidnapping her from the Coeur d’Alene Casino, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department. John M. Costa, 47, of Chewelah, appeared in Kootenai County District Court this afternoon after he was arrested Saturday about 4:20 p.m. on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping. He’s accused of kidnapping a 49-year-old woman he used to care for from the Coeur d’Alene Casino, then taking her to a hotel in Plummer to try to persuade her to drop battery charges against him in Washington, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Costa faces possible assault charges in Benewah County for the incident at the hotel. Security detained Costa after he took the woman back to the casino, where her son and caregiver found her. Deputies responded to the casino for a report of a man causing a disturbance. The woman was taken to Kootenai Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Court documents show Costa was not facing criminal charges in Washington involving the woman, but the Department of Social and Heath Services sought a protection order for the victim after she declined to press charges against Costa. The woman was hospitalized Jan. 27 after Costa allegedly assaulted her and threatened her with a gun. He’d been staying at her home “because of her care needs and his house was flooded due to a pipe breaking.” He’s now in Kootenai County Jail on $50,000 bond.