Kidnapped SC woman asks stranger to get help at I-20 rest stop, Georgia cops say
A suspected kidnapping came to light in an unusual way, when the victim was given a bathroom break and she risked asking a passerby at the rest stop to call 911, Georgia investigators say.
It happened around 8:50 a.m. Saturday, May 17, in Morgan County, Georgia, and that 911 call set off a multi-county pursuit, according to the Covington Police Department in Georgia.
The woman had been abducted earlier that day from her home in South Carolina, officials said.
'An adult female approached an individual at the rest stop on Interstate 20 in Morgan County stating that she had been kidnapped and asked the individual to call 911,' Covington police said in May 19 news release.
'The individual was able to contact 911 and give a description of the vehicle and the female victim. Officers began patrolling Interstate 20 (and) observed the vehicle traveling west on Interstate 20.'
A traffic stop was initiated, but the vehicle stopped only briefly, revealing 'the victim still inside,' police said.
'Officers began a vehicle pursuit on Interstate 20 westbound. The vehicle subsequently stopped in Rockdale County after a successful PIT maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique) by the Newton County Sheriff's Office,' Covington police said.
'The suspect, Charles Davis, attempted to flee on foot but was tased and quickly apprehended. The victim was unharmed and was safely recovered.'
Investigators say the ordeal began when Davis forced his way into the victim's home and took her against her will.
A motive has not been released, and investigators have not said where Davis was headed when the vehicle was stopped.
Jail records show he lives in Batesburg, South Carolina, about a 35-mile drive southwest from Columbia. The location of the victim's home was not released.
Davis has been charged with:
Felony kidnappingFelony false imprisonmentMisdemeanor reckless drivingFelony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officerMisdemeanor willful obstruction of law enforcement
Additional charges are expected in South Carolina, Covington police said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Yolo County man speaks following rape conviction reversal, embraces freedom after 16 years in prison
Yolo County man speaks publicly for the first time since nearly 400-year sentence was vacated Yolo County man speaks publicly for the first time since nearly 400-year sentence was vacated Yolo County man speaks publicly for the first time since nearly 400-year sentence was vacated YOLO COUNTY -- A former Davis man was freed from state prison more than one month ago, after a Yolo County judge ruled his rape conviction should be overturned and his nearly 400-year sentence vacated based on new evidence and testimony presented in habeas hearings. Ajay Dev (right) moments after his release from custody May 23, 2025 Ajay Dev Ajay Dev, 58, has spent the past 16 years in prison for a crime he says he did not commit. Dev was convicted of repeatedly raping his adopted daughter back in 2009. The alleged victim maintains her allegations are truthful, but Judge Janene Beronio found the evidence was insubstantial and that there were significant flaws in Dev's original trial. "Based on my review of this entire case, I believe that, in fact, Mr. Dev could be innocent of these charges," Bernoio ruled on May 16. He was released from Mule Creek State Prison on his own recognizance and walked free from custody one week later, on May 23. Dev sat down for his first on-camera interview exclusively with CBS Sacramento. "Sixteen years ago today was one of the worst days of my life when I was falsely convicted and wrongfully imprisoned," Dev said. "This happened to me, but it does not define me." Dev considers this a second chance at life, now navigating a new world outside prison walls. "I just want to have a normal life. I did not commit this crime and I am innocent, 100 percent," Dev said. He describes listening to the judge's ruling from inside prison walls, when he learned his nearly four life sentences were vacated. Ajay Dev pictured with his two sons, now 15 and 17 years old Ajay Dev "I cried and I could hear on the audio people gasping in tears," said Dev. "I just held one of my friends. Held him, saying, 'Looks like I'm going home.' He started crying and prayed with me. As we were praying, other inmates circled and prayed with me. I think they knew that I was innocent." Dev walked out of custody and into the arms of his family. His two sons are now 15 and 17. The oldest was just a baby and the youngest not yet born at the time of his conviction. "One of the biggest losses for me out of this whole incarceration was the loss of fatherhood," Dev said. "Nothing comes close to that. It's even worse than being falsely accused of something. Traumatic as it is, no father wants to be denied their children. And that was hard." Dev got to spend his very first Father's Day celebrating with his two sons outside of prison walls this year. Dev says he did not even get to hold his youngest son in his arms until he was 8 years old due to contact restrictions at the prison. "While I was doing time, I feel like they were also doing time with me. It's not easy, and for their mother to raise two children on her own, it's been hard on her," said Dev of his wife of 20 years and one of his biggest supporters, Peggy Dev. In 2017, the couple amicably divorced. In his darkest days, he says he leaned on family and community support while working to keep his mind occupied. The former engineer for the California Department of Water Resources turned to teaching math to fellow inmates. He also spent his time studying his own legal case. "And I kid you not, I must have spent more time on my legal works than my combined bachelor and master's degrees in engineering prior to my conviction. Because I was fighting for my life," Dev said. He also had to learn to forgive as the emotional toll was heavy. "It was unbearable. Moments where I would just stare at the wall, looking at my two kids' picture, praying. There were days I'd pull the covers over my head so my cellmate would not see my in those weak times where I'd cry," said Dev. "I even thought about committing suicide, to be honest. This hatred just consumed my soul. I knew this wasn't helping me. I started to really pray and start to forgive those people who have betrayed me. I think that gave me some strength." Ajay Dev (right) and his defense attorney Jennifer Mouzis (left) Ajay Dev In the end, he says he owes his freedom to his faithful attorney and now lifelong friend Jennifer Mouzis. "To put it in one sentence, she saved my life. She did save my life," Dev said. Mouzis has been working on the case for five years of habeas hearings and says there was no actual evidence that a crime ever occurred. "There was a lot of indication it didn't happen and not a lot of evidence it did happen. When I looked at it, I saw more and more cracks in the armor. If you stripped away some of the stereotypes used to gain a conviction, some of the implicit bias incorporated into the trial about Nepali culture and people from Nepal, if you strip that away, there really wasn't evidence it occurred," Mouzis told CBS13 in May. Dev says the dark cloud hanging over him for nearly two decades has finally cleared. Still, he is not yet out of the woods. The Yolo County district attorney's office could choose to dismiss or retry Dev's case. In a June 13 hearing, the decision was continued in court to July 10. "In the interest of justice, I hope the district attorney reviews the case every carefully and reaches a sound decision, and that is to drop the case in its entirety. If not, I am confident that we will prevail in the end," Dev said. The DA's office told CBS13 in a statement, "The People are prepared to retry the matter when the defense is ready to set the matter for trial."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Green Bay Police and Metro Fire Departments demonstrate response efforts in Public Safety Night
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Green Bay Police Department and Green Bay Metro Fire Department collaborated on Thursday night to showcase some examples of their departments' response efforts. Both departments conducted a live example of how they would respond to an Operating While Intoxicated crash if called to the scene of one. UPDATE: Crash on I-41 in De Pere cleared, all lanes reopened The Green Bay Police also provided a narcotics detection demonstration, showcasing the efforts that officers and their K9 partners work to determine the presence of illicit drugs during an investigation. Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis called the event a great opportunity for the public to see how their invested resources are used. 'It's a small demonstration that we're able to do in this amount of time, Chief Davis said. 'But we try to put enough elements in it so people can get a good picture of what an emergency response looks like.' Fire Chief Matthew Knott said the demonstrations highlight how the two departments interact and come together, and while some of the examples weren't major, it's a good look into those connections. Vandalism reported at pickleball courts in Kaukauna's La Follette Park 'This is not a huge issue, but this teamwork and collaboration go through all these large-scale incidents,' Chief Knott said. 'This is a complex thing, and our equipment is expensive; this is a highly trained workforce.' The Public Safety Night event was part of Green Bay's broader City Hall Academy program. The eight-week program provides education to residents to better comprehend the processes of city officials and government bodies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
6 days ago
- Axios
Blowing cars apart to piece crimes together
IU Indianapolis student Vanesa Linge had an absolute blast during one of her summer classes. Why it matters: Hoosiers like Linge are taking part in an IU program blending car bombs and academic curiosity to support a new era of crime scene investigations. What they're saying:"I'm very grateful for the opportunity, because it is outside the classroom and something we might face in our professions in real life," Linge said. "And I don't think a majority of kids can say they've got this experience." Zoom in: Led by retired IMPD Sgt. Stephen Davis, the two-session course offered through the O'Neill School at IU Indianapolis has students sifting through the aftermath of a bombing to understand the cause and motive. The program came to life in 2007 when a professor looked to create a new class to keep students engaged during the summer. "It's really rewarding," Davis said. "It's a great opportunity to carry on to the next generation when it comes to policing and crime fighting." The intrigue: The class is open to all IU students regardless of field of study. How it works: During last week's "detonation day," students met with members of the IMPD Bomb Squad, the Indianapolis Fire Department, and federal partners at the old Eagle Creek Pistol Range on North High School Road. After a morning meeting, the students made their way to a grassy area where two Chevys outfitted with explosives awaited them. After the blast, students are split into two groups and given a 25-gallon tub full of tools. They're provided some background information about the case and sent into the field to begin their analysis. Yes, but: Getting the size of the blast just right is an important part of the experience. These aren't movie scene explosions, but there have been instances of going "too big" in the past. Davis said when that happens, the explosion has the potential to damage the evidence students need to complete their work. Bomb Squad members told Axios that one solution to contain the blasts is putting old IV bags inside the vehicles to quickly "quench" the explosions and preserve the evidence. Between the lines: The explosions take just a moment, but the investigation that follows can take hours. Every student has a different role to play, from setting up a perimeter to taking photos and writing up a police report or probable cause affidavit that explains what they found. For Davis, opening the class to all students instead of focusing on just criminal justice majors is more representative of the varied skill sets needed in a modern police department.
