A 57-year-old man accused of leading a police chase in a stolen police car and kidnapping a Texas Tech University student while using him as a human shield is now facing federal charges.
A federal grand jury this week returned an indictment charging Keith Kalka with kidnapping, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
A Lubbock County grand jury indicted Calka on Feb. 6 on a charge of evading arrest by vehicle. This is a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison.
Man arrested on suspicion of stealing Lubbock police car and kidnapping Texas Tech student
Kalka then left the store and stood next to a marked police car, where he said: “I decided to become famous and steal police cars.''
The responding officer came out of the Food King, noticed Kalka sitting in the driver's seat of his car, and yelled at him not to steal the car, according to the report.
Kalka reportedly drove his car ignoring officers and listened to radio communications on his in-car radio to avoid nearby police.
Kalka reportedly drove to the Texas Tech University campus. Upon arriving at Jones AT&T Stadium, Kalka reportedly admitted to authorities that he had impersonated a police officer and arrested a Texas Tech student in the parking lot.
The student told investigators that he was “confused and got into the passenger seat of the patrol car,” the report said.
Meanwhile, Kalka reportedly said he was holding the student as a “hostage in case the responding officers tried to shoot him.”
Police said Kalka then drove to a 7-Eleven across the street from the stadium and asked the student if he wanted coffee. The student said no, he just wanted to go to class.
Kalka left the 7-Eleven, drove the wrong way south on University Avenue, then turned west onto 6th Street.
Meanwhile, Lubbock police officers spotted the stolen vehicle and began tracking it to the south end zone construction site at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Kalka was stopped by construction, got out of the stolen unit and surrendered to police, who arrested him.
Officers spoke with the student and determined that Kalka had never threatened to harm her or touched her.
Kalka was taken to the Lubbock County Detention Center, where he remains.
His initial charges included unlawful restraint, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and falsely identifying himself as a police officer. Jail records show those charges were dismissed.
A warrant has not yet been determined for Mr. Kalka to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge for an initial appearance hearing.
