Overview
- A woman who had been walking between family homes escaped from a man who claimed to be law enforcement after he put her in handcuffs and into his car, according to the Aiken County sheriff’s incident report.
- The woman ran toward traffic and into the path of a passing truck, where the driver, Anthony J. Moore, recorded dashcam video showing her running and a teal/green Cadillac swerving and fleeing.
- Bystanders removed the handcuffs, called 911 and gave the woman water; she told them the man had taken her phone, Social Security card and a diploma she had received the day before.
- Authorities identified and arrested 39-year-old Jonathan Willard of New Ellenton the next day and charged him with one count each of kidnapping and impersonating a law-enforcement officer; he is being held at the Aiken County Detention Center and no court date has been released.
- The case highlights how civilian video and eyewitness action helped investigators identify a suspect and may prompt renewed public warnings about people falsely claiming to be police.