Beaver County deputies investigating possible kidnapping

Beaver County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a possible carjacking or kidnapping involving a woman who said she was driving home from work when a man emerged from the back of her car.
Beaver County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a possible carjacking or kidnapping involving a woman who said she was driving home from work when a man emerged from the back of her car. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Beaver County sheriff's deputies are investigating a possible carjacking or kidnapping involving a woman who says she was driving home from work when a man emerged from the back of her car.

According to a prepared statement released Monday by Sheriff Cody Black, the sheriff's office received a 911 call about 11:20 p.m. Sunday from a woman saying "she had been assaulted and was on a dirt road but didn't know exactly where."

Using a 911 mapping system, deputies were able to determine the woman's location and responded to an area north of Minersville.

The woman told emergency dispatchers that she had left work in Beaver and was driving home, when "a male subject appeared in the back of her car," the sheriff stated. "The caller stated that the subject was armed with a gun and a knife. When the deputies arrived, they found the victim extremely frightened, upset and injured."

Details about the woman's injuries were not released. She was taken to Beaver Valley Hospital. The statement did not say whether the woman was still in her car or if the suspect drove off and left her behind.

Several agencies were called to assist in searching the immediate area, including the Department of Public Safety which sent one of its helicopters, and K-9s from nearby departments.

"(The) Beaver County Sheriff's Office SWAT team was activated and responded to the scene as well," according to the statement, "An extensive search was done by air and ground assets, but nothing has been located at this time."

The sheriff's office is asking anyone who has "pertinent information" or may have witnessed "suspicious activity that may be related to this case" to call them.