Former caregiver accused of kidnap

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.

John M. Costa, 47, of Chewelah, was arrested Saturday about 4:20 p.m. on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, accused of kidnapping the 49-year-old woman from the Coeur d’Alene Casino, then taking her to a hotel in Plummer. Investigators say Costa was trying to persuade the woman to drop battery charges against him in Washington, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department.

But court records show Costa was not facing criminal charges in Washington involving the woman. Rather, the Department of Social and Heath Services sought a protection order for the victim after she declined to press charges against Costa after he allegedly assaulted her and threatened her with a gun on Jan. 27.

He’d been staying at her home “because of her care needs and his house was flooded due to a pipe breaking,” according to court documents. He’s now in Kootenai County Jail on $50,000 bond.