Howard County police arrested two teen-agers and are looking for another on charges they kidnapped a Columbia man last month and forced him to drive them to Washington in his car.

Arrested Thursday and charged as adults with kidnapping, carjacking and second-degree assault were Jerris Rashad Smith, 17, of the 3000 block of Marsh Crossing in Laurel and Justin Xavier Chambers, 16, of the 7200 block of Eden Brook Drive in Columbia.

Police declined to name the third suspect.

Five young people, including two who police say they are not charging, approached the 18-year-old man as he was driving his parents' Nissan in the Kings Contrivance Village Center about 8 p.m. Sept. 22, police said.

One of the teen-agers is accused of threatening the driver by lifting up his shirt, exposing an object in his waistband and saying, "I have a gun."

Police said the youths then piled into the man's car and ordered him to drive them to Washington.

The man told police that the youths returned to the village center several hours later.

Detectives linked the suspects to the crime through fingerprints and a photograph lineup that was shown to the victim, police said.

"This is a case of young men not understanding the full ramifications of their criminal act," said Sgt. Morris Carroll, a Police Department spokesman.

"Maybe they knew they were not going to hurt this guy, but he was terrified. It's what the victim thinks that matters."

Pub Date: 10/04/98