A 53-year-old truck-driving pastor has been hailed for his role in thwarting an alleged kidnapping in Aiken County, South Carolina. Anthony J. Moore said he was driving a route near the Georgia border when a woman with her hands tied behind her back ran in front of his truck.
Dashcam footage captured the incident. The woman fled from a green Cadillac that had been parked on the roadside. The driver of the Cadillac swerved in front of Moore's truck before speeding away. Moore described the event as a 'divine assignment from God'.
Authorities arrested 39-year-old Jonathan Willard of New Ellenton on charges of kidnapping and impersonating a law enforcement officer. According to the Aiken County Sheriff's Department, the woman was walking when Willard approached her, claiming to be police. He allegedly handcuffed her and placed her in the back seat of his car.
The woman escaped when Willard stopped by a gated property and got out to search the trunk. She climbed over the seat and fled through the open driver's door. Moore witnessed her running towards him and stopped to help. Willard briefly confronted Moore, displaying what appeared to be a badge, before driving away.
Bystanders assisted in removing the handcuffs and called 911. The woman told Moore she had just graduated the previous day and that her diploma had been taken. Willard remains in custody at the Aiken County Detention Center; no court dates have been scheduled.
