A late-night stop at a southwest Charlotte Circle K turned into a terrifying ordeal when, according to police, a 44-year-old woman drove off in an 18-year-old man's Mini Cooper with him still inside. The teen, who has autism, stayed on the phone with his family as the driver allegedly took him on a miles-long ride across the city, before he escaped by jumping from the stopped car. He is now back home with relatives, who say he is safe but badly shaken.
Dash-cam video from inside the Mini captured roughly 40 minutes of the ride. In the footage, the passenger can be heard pleading, "Who are you? I'm scared of strangers," while the driver allegedly responds, "I'm your designated driver. You are under the influence, and I have to drive for you." The video shows the car pulling out of the Circle K on Tyvola Road and heading across Charlotte along Independence Boulevard and W.T. Harris Boulevard.
Throughout the ordeal, the teen stayed on the phone with relatives, who relayed his changing location to 911. He ultimately escaped by jumping from the stopped Mini at East W.T. Harris Boulevard and North Tryon Street, where officers arrested a woman at the scene, according to WSOC.
Suspect's Background
Police identified the driver as 44-year-old Amanda Gills. Local booking and mugshot records show an Amanda Gills who was booked in March on charges that included possession of stolen property and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to WCCB. Those prior entries appear to be separate from the current investigation.
Arrest And Family Response
Authorities arrested Gills and charged her with second-degree kidnapping, larceny of a motor vehicle and fleeing to elude while in a motor vehicle, according to police records.
The teen, identified by his family as Griffin, first called his father saying he had lost his keys. That call quickly turned frantic as relatives realized someone else was driving the car. "What happened yesterday was one of the scariest things that you could imagine," Griffin's father, Dave Haire, told reporters. The family said they were overwhelmingly relieved that Griffin was found safe, as reported by WSOC.
Legal Note
Under North Carolina law, kidnapping is divided into first and second degree. Second-degree kidnapping is a Class E felony when the victim is released in a safe place and does not suffer serious injury, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. State law on larceny and offenses involving receiving or possessing a stolen vehicle appears in Chapter 14, Article 16, with penalties that vary based on the value of the property and the circumstances of the theft.
Griffin's family says he is recovering at home and receiving support from relatives. The investigation is still active, and police are asking anyone with additional information to contact Charlotte-Mecklenburg authorities.
