Man, 26, arrested in kidnapping, beating

A man was booked into jail Wednesday on charges that he helped with a kidnapping and beating in Spokane last month.

Robert Allen Hutton Jr., 26, who faces a charge of first-degree conspiracy to commit kidnapping, is accused of taking part in the abduction of David Vernoy.

Vernoy told investigators that he was taken to a home at 917 E. Rockwell Ave. on Feb. 8 and beaten, according to court documents. He says his kidnappers accused him of causing Wendy C. Iwanow to be arrested a few days earlier, documents state. Iwanow had been jailed on several fraud-related charges.

Vernoy told police that once inside the home he was struck with a tire iron and went in and out of consciousness. He eventually was locked in a basement, according to court documents.

After about 12 hours, Vernoy escaped. But he told police that he later was assaulted by a man at an apartment at 6109 N. Colton.

After he left that apartment, he screamed for help and police were called. Vernoy was taken to Holy Family Hospital and treated for head cuts that required 30 stitches and 40 staples. He also had a broken collarbone and hand.

Iwanow, Jason Edward Childs, 31, and Joseph W. Sawyer, 25, face charges of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree assault. Darren Marc Anderson, 34, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault.

The whereabouts of Iwanow, Childs, Sawyer and Anderson was unclear Wednesday evening.