California teacher accused of kidnapping students and ordering them to go to Jack in the Box

ALTADENA , Calif., June 9 (UPI) -- A California high school teacher was arrested and charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and criminal threats after he allegedly threatened three of his students with a knife and ordered them to drive him to Jack in the Box.

John Maust, 34, surrendered without incident at the Altadena sheriff's station on Sunday after the alleged incident on Saturday.

According to the students, they encountered Maust while driving around on Saturday night and he asked them for a ride. They agreed and Maust, who appeared to be intoxicated at the time, hopped in the vehicle, KTLA reported.

The conversation in the car quickly got weird and the 17-year-old driver pulled over. When the students exited the car, Maust "said he wanted to go to Jack in the Box, and ordered the juveniles back into the car. Fearing for their well-being, the juveniles re-entered the car."

After everyone was back in the car, Maust pulled out a knife. At some point during the encounter, one of the teens called 911 and a sheriff's helicopter began circling overhead.

Maust ordered the driver to stop and fled after the helicopter appeared, so it doesn't sound as if he ever made it to Jack in the Box.