As he approached the vehicle, the deputy saw a man flee into a wooded area, heading east.
A second deputy then arrived on the scene and began interviewing the victim and a second woman. Both women said they did not know the man and that he had stopped to help them when they broke down.
However, after talking with the deputy, both women admitted they knew the man and identified him as Christopher Cooley. The victim said he ran because he had “several warrants for his arrest,” according to the incident report. The deputy confirmed four active warrants in Cooley’s name.
When asked why she lied about knowing Cooley, the victim said she was afraid of him and did not want to admit anything since he was still at large. The victim added she had filed a previous terroristic threat report under the Family Violence Act and she had been living at her mother’s residence.
The victim said she had gone to work Monday afternoon when, according to the report, Cooley pulled up in front of the store where she works. He allegedly grabbed her by her hair, forced her into his vehicle and drove to his uncle’s residence.
The victim said she was too scared to attempt an escape.
Cooley later drove her to the second woman’s house and then the three drove toward Adairsville on Adairsville Pleasant Valley Road when the vehicle ran out of gas.
While giving statements, the second woman received a call from Cooley, and he told her where he was located. As the deputies arrived at the residence, they saw Cooley run into another wooded area across the road.
One deputy believed Cooley was running toward Pine Valley Trail and drove in that direction. As he approached the Interstate 75 overpass, the deputy saw Cooley coming out of the wooded area. He pulled his vehicle in front of Cooley and got him on the ground.
Cooley was arrested on a superior court bench warrant for failure to appear and charged with kidnapping (F.V.A.), state probation violation and two counts of terroristic threats and acts (F.V.A.).