Woman Escapes Kidnapper, Aided by Truck Driver on Highway
Woman escaped kidnapper with help from truck driver who recorded the incident in Aiken County.
Event / Security
South Carolina Kidnapping Arrest
A 39-year-old man claiming to be a police officer was arrested and charged with kidnapping and impersonation of a law enforcement officer after attempting to abduct a woman in Aiken County. The victim escaped by climbing over the car seat and fleeing through an open door. A truck driver and bystanders assisted the victim, and the suspect was detained pending court proceedings.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Jun, 01:31 UTC
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What happened
Man arrested for kidnapping and impersonating law enforcement officer in South Carolina
Jonathan Willard, 39, of New Ellenton, South Carolina, was arrested and charged with one count each of kidnapping and impersonation of a law enforcement officer. According to the Aiken County Sheriff's Department incident report, Willard approached a woman who was taking a walk in Aiken County, claimed to be a police officer, took her phone and Social Security card, handcuffed her, and placed her in the back seat of a green Cadillac. He was being held at the Aiken County Detention Center pending assignment of a defense attorney and scheduling of court dates.
Kidnapping victim had recently graduated before abduction and lost her diploma
The woman who was kidnapped by Jonathan Willard had just graduated the previous day. During the kidnapping, Willard also took her diploma along with her phone and Social Security card. The diploma was not recovered when Moore and the victim returned to the location where she had escaped.
Truck driver assists escaped kidnapping victim and calls for help on highway
When Anthony J. Moore saw the woman running on the highway, he rolled down his window and she asked for help, telling him a man was trying to kidnap her. After the man in the Cadillac fled, other bystanders called 911, helped remove the woman's handcuffs, and provided her with water. Moore accompanied the woman back to the location where she had escaped to search for her belongings, though nothing was recovered.
Woman escapes kidnapping by climbing over car seat and fleeing through driver's side door
A woman who was kidnapped by Jonathan Willard managed to escape by climbing over the front seat and exiting through the open driver's side door while Willard was rummaging through the trunk of his green Cadillac. The woman had been handcuffed and placed in the locked rear seat, but was able to free herself and ran toward traffic on the highway in Aiken County.
Truck driver's dashboard camera records woman fleeing kidnapper on South Carolina highway
Anthony J. Moore, a 53-year-old truck-driving preacher, was driving his route in Aiken County when a woman with her hands cuffed behind her back ran directly into his path. Moore's dashboard camera recorded the incident, capturing footage of the woman running in front of the truck and a man in a Cadillac swerving in front of the truck before driving away. The video evidence was critical to authorities' investigation and Willard's subsequent arrest.
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