A Maryland woman was rescued on Friday night by police after being kidnapped earlier that morning. Police shared they found her naked inside a U-Haul truck during a traffic stop.
The Maryland State Police shared that 62-year-old Dennis Bell was found driving the vehicle after it came to a halt.
According to a press release, Bell approached the victim in a convenience store early on Friday before abducting her.
“The victim told police that Bell pushed her into the U-Haul truck and threatened her life if she did not comply with his demands,” police said.
Police shared that Bell forced the victim to sit on the floorboard in the front seat as he drove the truck around the city “all day.”
“The victim reported that while in Bell’s truck, he removed her clothing and used a pocket knife to stab her fingers,” the release stated. “The victim informed police that she did not know where she was throughout the day while Bell continued to drive.”
At approximately 10 p.m., troopers received multiple calls about a U-Haul truck driving erratically, hitting parked cars throughout the city of Lanham. This resulted in officers attempting to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over, police shared.
The vehicle was finally stopped after it crashed into a ditch.
The press release shared that two troopers approached the truck’s passenger side, demanding Bell exit, but he continued to disobey orders.
Troopers then accessed the truck through the passenger window, where they discovered the victim naked and with wounds on her fingers.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Bell is facing dozens of traffic charges and several criminal charges, including first-degree assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, fourth-degree sex offense, possession of suspected crack cocaine, and driving while impaired.
Currently, Bell is being held at the Upper Marlboro Department of Corrections.
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