The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
An incident at a car dealership in central Ohio reportedly began as a routine test drive and allegedly turned into an abduction that left a sales employee fearing for her safety.
According to reports, the situation started in mid-December at a luxury car dealership in Marysville. A man allegedly walked into the dealership and asked to test drive a Jeep Wrangler. A female sales associate agreed to go along for the drive, as is standard practice.
Once they left the dealership, the situation reportedly began to change. Instead of following the normal test drive route, the man allegedly drove in a different direction. The associate reportedly noticed the change and asked to return to the dealership. The man stopped the vehicle near a warehouse area close to railroad tracks and allegedly remained parked for several minutes.
Authorities said the associate became increasingly uncomfortable and attempted to communicate with coworkers. She reportedly sent text messages and shared her location to alert others that something was wrong. At some point, the man allegedly took her phone and threw it onto the floor of the vehicle.
Rather than returning to the dealership, the man reportedly continued driving and stopped at a hospital in Marysville. According to the police, he allegedly picked up another person there and told the sales associate she would have to wait until his errands were finished. The associate was reportedly not allowed to leave the vehicle during this time.
After completing his stops, the man allegedly drove back to the dealership with the associate still inside the SUV, and the employee was able to safely get out.
The police later arrested the man in early January. Court records indicate he was booked into a regional jail and charged with abduction and disrupting public services. He was held in lieu of a $250,000 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.