Woman escapes kidnapper posing as an Uber driver by passing secret note to gas station customer
An Arizona lady who was allegedly kidnapped by a person in a wig posing as an Uber driver escaped after passing a note to a gas station customer pleading for assist, in accordance to authorities.
The lady was kidnapped from a automotive dealership in Phoenix at 7am on Monday, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace (YCSO) said in a statement.
The suspect, recognized by authorities as 41-year-old Jacob Wilhoit, “restrained” the lady within the automotive and drove north in the direction of Las Vegas, and so they spent the night time in a Lake Mead park, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
At 5pm on Tuesday, they pulled right into a Chevron gas station 150 miles southeast in Seligman, Arizona.
The lady signalled to one other customer and handed a note with an outline of her abductor and his blue Honda van, and begged them to name 911.
“Assist,” the note learn. “Name 911.”
The note included a a telephone quantity and that they had been headed to “Kingman Las Vegas”.
A chilling note handed by a lady who had allegedly been kidnapped and compelled right into a automotive by a person posing as an Uber driver
(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace)
Their van was intercepted by officers from the Division of Public Security (DPS) heading westbound on the I-40, and Mr Wilhoit was detained with out incident, in accordance to authorities.
A number of firearms had been discovered “in plain view” in his automotive, they mentioned.
Deputies additionally discovered the lady had been reported lacking by her mom the day past, who named Mr Wilhoit as a “particular person of curiosity”.
Jacob With out, 41, prior to his arrest. He has been charged with a slew of counts for the alleged abduction of a lady
(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace)
Mr Wilhoit has been arrested on costs together with aggravated assault, illegal imprisonment, kidnapping, and different assault and harassment costs.
“The sufferer’s extraordinary motion in passing the note, the customer’s willingness to help, and the fast actions of YCSO and DPS saved the sufferer from her kidnapper and allowed her to return house along with her household,” Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned.
