A Pittsburgh man facing charges alleging he kidnapped his former girlfriend from her Butler home then fled from police through several municipalities on Valentine’s Day is being held in jail without bond after his nominal bond was revoked Monday.

Kenneth Michael Clarke, 54, is facing felony charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and strangulation; and misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and simple assault filed by Butler police in the alleged Feb. 14 kidnapping of his former girlfriend.

Jackson Township police filed a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police and 12 summary traffic violations against Clarke for fleeing from police later the same day.

On Feb. 14, his bond was set at $250,000 in the kidnapping case and $150,000 in the fleeing case. However, he was released from jail after both bonds were reduced to $1 nominal bonds in September.

At a hearing Monday in Butler County Common Pleas Court, assistant district attorney Zoe Kecskemethy said Clarke failed to report to his probation officer, failed to show up for a drug test and didn’t get approval for changing his address.

Adult probation officer Jonathan Kay testified that Clarke was released Sept. 18 to stay at his father’s home in Pittsburgh. He said he called Clarke’s father Oct. 7 after receiving information that Clarke’s electronic monitoring house arrest bracelet had been cut off. He said Clarke’s father did not know where he went. He went to the father’s house that day and retrieved the cut off bracelet.

“I had to do it to save my son’s life,” Clarke said, testifying remotely from the Butler County Prison.

He said his son “kept taking drugs” and “died three times” due to drug use. He said his son is now in rehabilitation.

Clarke also said he isn’t able to drive, has no money and his father isn’t able to drive far enough to take him to Butler to report to the probation office.

Public defender Kimberly Hudak argued that Clarke was released from custody due to a Rule 600 violation because he had been held in excess of 180 days without a trial.

She said there is no excuse for Clarke cutting off the bracelet, but said he had done his best to comply with his pretrial supervision and received no support from his family. She asked for bond to be reinstated and for another chance for Clarke.

Kecskemethy said Clarke failed to report for drug tests, fled from police, removed the bracelet and has repeatedly been unable to comply with the conditions of his bond.

“He had his chance and he blew it,” Kecskemethy said.

Judge Maura Palumbi revoked Clarke’s bond and ordered him to be held without bond.

Clarke’s next court appearance has not been scheduled.

The woman told police her ex-boyfriend, Clarke, showed up at her apartment and said he wanted to spend Valentine’s Day with her, but she refused and he assaulted her.

Police said Clarke then struck the woman in the face repeatedly and strangled her until she began to lose consciousness. Police said Clarke then grabbed her hair and shoved her into a wall, which left a cut on her ear.

Clarke then dragged her outside and threw her across the front seat into a U-Haul truck, police said. Clarke held a green pair of scissors to her and said he was going to kill her, police said.

The woman fled from the truck at the intersection of West Cunningham and Pillow streets. Clarke attempted to stab her when she fled, police said. She ran into Butler Tobacco & Grocery and hid in a storage room. Clarke followed her inside, but fled before police arrived, police said.

Jackson Township police were contacted to watch for a U-Haul on Route 68. An officer sitting in a driveway near Lindsay Road saw the U-Haul pass and gave chase. Police said the chase covered 11.5 miles in 13.5 minutes through Callery, Evans City, Cranberry Township, Adams Township and Jackson Township. A Cranberry Township police officer deployed spike strips and disabled the U-Haul’s front tires, which ended the pursuit.

Police said Clarke went 70 mph in a 25-mph zone, went 60 mph in a 35-mph zone, ran three stop signs and two red lights and illegally passed six vehicles during the chase while driving with a suspended license.