Teacher planned escape to Mexico

Tennessee man took boat in San Diego on test run with student

SACRAMENTO — A Tennessee teacher charged with kidnapping a 15-yearold student and driving her to California had planned to take the girl to Mexico and took a boat from San Diego on a test run, according to federal court documents filed Monday.

Authorities credit the caretaker of a remote Northern California property for helping police find the girl Thursday and arrest her alleged abductor, fired teacher Tad Cummins. She has returned home and is being treated by a team of therapists.

Cummins is charged with taking a minor across states lines to have sex. He is due in court Monday afternoon.

In carrying out his “audacious scheme,” the 50year-old Cummins switched vehicle license plates twice, disabled his vehicle’s GPS system, used aliases, altered his appearance, paid only in cash and used back roads during his nearly six weeks on the run, according to the documents. Prosecutors say Cummins’ is a flight and safety risk and they want him held until his trial.

The Associated Press is not naming the girl because she is an alleged victim of a sex crime.

Cummins left Tennessee because he was worried about an investigation into his relationship with the girl, the documents said.

After taking out a loan for $4,500, court records said, the teacher took the money and two handguns and wrote a note to his wife saying he needed to go to Virginia Beach or the Washington, D.C., area to clear his head.