A North Carolina teenager with autism was carjacked at a gas station and taken on a terrifying ride that lasted about 40 minutes before he managed to escape and the suspect was taken into custody. What could have ended in tragedy instead became a story of quick thinking and survival, with the young man returning home safe.
Police say 18-year-old Griffin Hare had stopped for gas in Charlotte when a woman got into his Mini Cooper and drove away with him still inside the vehicle. The sudden ordeal unfolded in a matter of moments, turning a routine fuel stop into a frightening abduction on the move through the city.
Part of the interaction with the female suspect was captured on the car's dashboard camera, recording the confusion and fear inside the vehicle. The footage offered investigators a direct window into the encounter as it played out during the lengthy drive.
Griffin's father said he was on the phone with his son and could hear the panic in his voice, along with a woman yelling in the background, before the call suddenly dropped. He said he could immediately tell that something was seriously wrong, describing the moment as one of the scariest things a parent could imagine.
Rather than wait helplessly, the father began tracking his son's phone and relayed every turn to 911, helping authorities follow the moving vehicle in real time. That running account of the route proved crucial as officers worked to close in on the car.
Griffin eventually jumped from the car into traffic to escape, and officers then moved in, taking the suspect, identified as 44-year-old Amanda Gillis, into custody. She now faces second-degree kidnapping among other charges in connection with the incident.
Police say the carjacking appears to have been random, with no prior connection between the suspect and the teenager. Gillis has not responded to the charges. For Griffin's father, the overwhelming emotion was relief and pride, as he described his son as scared but brave, and above all, home and safe.