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Police: Man arrested after claiming to be Uber driver, abducting woman

Authorities in Arizona said the woman was restrained as the alleged abductor drove toward Las Vegas.
Police: Man arrested after claiming to be Uber driver, abducting woman
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Jacob Wilhoit, 41, is accused of kidnapping a woman in Phoenix by posing as an Uber driver. 

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said Wilhoit was wearing a wig when he picked the woman up from a car dealership on Monday. Authorities say he restrained the woman as they drove to Las Vegas. 

They reportedly spent the night at a park. 

The next day, the sheriff's office said Wilhoit stopped at a gas station in Seligman, which is between Flagstaff and Kingman. That's when authorities say the woman signaled another customer and gave them a note. 

"The note included a description of the van the woman was in, a phone number, and said that they were going to Kingman and Las Vegas," the sheriff's office said. 

SEE MORE: Mother carjacked, 3 kids briefly kidnapped at Taco Bell drive-thru

The customer reportedly called 911, and the vehicle the victim and suspect were in was stopped on I-40 a short time later. 

The sheriff's office said the woman had been reported missing by her mother. It's unclear what, if any, relationship the victim had with Wilhoit. The sheriff's office said the missing person's alert mentioned Wilhoit as a person of interest in her disappearance. 

Along with kidnapping, Wilhoit is facing numerous assault charges. 

The victim has since been reunited with her family.


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