Woman jumps from moving car after kidnapped by sex offender co-worker

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A woman barely escaped after deputies said a registered sex offender kidnapped her Monday evening in Rowan County.

Deputies responded to an attempted abduction call just before 6:30 p.m. on Heiligton Road, where a woman said she was running from a man who had been driving her down secluded back roads against her will for about 10 minutes.

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According to deputies, the 28-year-old victim had worked at a local temporary job for the day and was paired with 54-year-old Kenneth Jones as a carpool.

The victim told deputies they had worked together all day and everything seemed fine.

After work though, the victim said that Jones offered to take her to Food Lion so she could take money out of an account from the temporary job service. But instead of going to the store, Jones took her to a home, where she waited in the car while he went inside.

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The victim told deputies that when Jones returned to the car, he was acting very erratic and that she suspected he may have just taken some type of illegal drug.

After leaving the home, the victim said Jones did drive to the store but never stopped. Instead, he started driving down back roads and got very upset when the victim repeatedly asked for him to let her out.

The victim told deputies that once she realized he wasn’t going to stop the car, she tried to get out when he slowed down, but she said when she did so, Jones would immediately speed up.

The victim also said Jones started asking sexual questions, which made her feel more panicked, so she called 911.

According to deputies, 911 dispatchers overheard the victim ask Jones to let her go numerous times.

The victim said Jones eventually slowed down enough for her to jump and run out of the moving vehicle, but he started chasing her.

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Deputies said the woman stayed hidden until law enforcement arrived and arrested Jones.

Investigators discovered Jones was a registered sex offender and had been placed on the registry in the 1990s for forcible rape.

Deputies said they found a small baggie containing several small, white, rock-like items, which appeared to be crack cocaine in Jones’ underwear.

Jones has been charged with second-degree kidnapping, felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He’s being held at the Rowan County Detention Center under a $25,000 secured bond.

Cox Media Group