News

Actions

Woman recounts harrowing kidnapping by ex-boyfriend

Posted at 9:12 PM, May 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-17 16:25:33-04

UPDATE 3:20 P.M. 5/17/2017: Patrick Davis, 38, has been charged after his ex-girlfriend claimed he held her against her will using a box cutter. 

Davis is charged with domestic assault, violation of a protective order of an adult, unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with a motor vehicle. 

ORIGINAL STORY:

Sarah lived through any woman's worst nightmare. 

"Before the Bannister exit he popped up behind me with a box cutter and told me to keep driving," she told 41 Action News.

Sarah's ex-boyfriend was hiding in the backseat of her van as she drove to work Monday morning. The ex who she says continuously stalked and harassed her after she broke off their volatile relationship. It got so bad she filed a restraining order, but there he was, in her car. 

"He kept saying, I swear to god if you pull over anywhere you know what I'll do," Sarah said. 

Sarah said he demanded she get on 71 highway, but something told her to stay on 435, the boxcutter at her throat the whole time.

"He seemed really emotional, and he was crying at one point. Then he would yell again and so I just figured better safe than sorry. I thought he was going to hurt me at that point," she said. 

This was the man who would sit outside her house all day, sometimes in different cars. She said he'd call from multiple numbers, even contacting her family. She said he posted her Facebook profile on Craigslist slandering her name, and she'd get calls from strangers. Sarah says he even pulled the power meter off her Raytown home one night. 

While driving, she recalled him saying he had no choice because she filed a restraining order. 

In a split-second decision, Sarah said she veered off the highway and pulled into the QuikTrip at 103rd and Wornall. The police report says the suspect grabbed her arms, but she broke free and ran.

"When I got to the door to QuikTrip and I turned around, he was driving out of the parking lot with my van," Sarah said. 

All of Sarah's belongings were in the van, her cell phone, purse, credit cards.  She says he drained her bank account that day.

An employee with Salon Service Group across the street from the QuikTrip was there when Sarah burst in. The woman said she was hysterical, asking for help and crying. 

Police arrested the suspect on Tuesday. After giving her statement to the police, Sarah says she finally feels she and her young kids are safe.

"We're just happy to be home, and we can lock our door and no one's going to be pounding on it trying to break in," Sarah said.

Sarah compares her ordeal to a movie.

"It's embarrassing. It's difficult to explain to people, but you have to tell them and you have to then actually file a restraining order. You have to document it because no one can help you until you've shown them what's going on," she said.