04-16-18
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the alleged kidnapping of a woman from her residence on Holly Springs School Rd. that occurred at approximately 9:30am on Sunday, April 15, 2018.
Pickens County was notified at approximately 12:30pm yesterday by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in reference to an abandoned Jeep Cherokee registered to a Pickens County resident. The vehicle was found on the roadside of Highway 183 near the Oconee Nuclear Station in Oconee County.
As Pickens County deputies were responding to the Pickens County residence to investigate, Oconee authorities advised that they had located the owner of the vehicle nearby after allegedly being forced from the vehicle by an unknown assailant and physically thrown into Lake Keowee.
A joint investigation between Oconee and Pickens County has determined that an unknown male wearing an orange colored mask allegedly abducted the female (66yoa) from her residence on Holly Springs School Rd. as she was attempting to enter her vehicle.
The unknown male forced the victim to drive him to various locations near the lake and at approximately 11:00am he made her stop the vehicle near the bridge on Hwy 183 and exit the vehicle. The suspect forced the victim to go with him down through a wooded area to the water’s edge where she was pushed into the lake.
A security officer from the Oconee Nuclear Station later observed the female in the water near the facility’s property and was able to provide her with assistance.
The victim did not sustain any serious injuries and the suspect has not been identified or located. The motive for the incident has yet to be determined.
The assailant is further described as being approximately 6’ tall with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a blue sweat shirt and black pants. His race is unknown at this time.
Anyone that may have any information regarding this incident is asked to call the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office at (864) 898-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC.
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