Northampton County man charged with shackling his wife to his car

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Northampton County man accused of handcuffing his wife to the inside of a car is out on bail.

Bethlehem Police said John VanHorn of Albrightsville is charged with false imprisonment after officers found his wife shackled to the inside of their vehicle on January 23.

Police responded to a 911 call at a business in the 900 block of Jennings Street. The caller stated that a woman was "handcuffed" inside a vehicle and requesting help.

Officers said when they arrived they located the car in question with a middle-aged woman inside. The woman had a metal device locked to her ankle that was secured to the underside of the front passenger seat. The woman told police her husband secured her to the vehicle to keep her there.

Police said shortly after discovering the woman in the car, Officers located VanHorn driving by the area in a vehicle he had borrowed.

Vanhorn was found to be in possession of the keys to his wife's shackles as well as two realistic-looking BB guns.

Police said it was learned that the victim had been shackled inside of VanHorn's vehicle while he went to work numerous time in the past six months.

VanHorn was arrested and charged with one count of false imprisonment. He was remanded to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

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