A nationwide manhunt for a bloodied New Jersey woman believed to have been kidnapped was sparked by an accident and a freak misunderstanding, police told The Post on Friday.
The unnamed woman who was seen screaming and bleeding in a tractor trailer on Route 130 Wednesday was injured when her husband hit the brakes to avoid an accident, South Brunswick Police Deputy Chief Jim Ryan said.
The woman, who was standing between the cab and the platform bed, flew forward and was left bleeding and screaming, he said.
But a worker at a nearby rental car company, who didn’t see the big rig stop, saw the woman bleeding and thought he might have witnessed a kidnapping and called police, Ryan said.
“He’s standing in a parking lot and he hears someone yelling ‘help,'” Ryan said, adding that the witness called police.
The confusion sparked a multi-agency search for the truck and, after the media reported the incident, at least 100 calls about possible sightings from Texas to California, Ryan said.
Police say a nationwide manhunt for a woman who was allegedly kidnapped in New Jersey was the result of a misunderstanding. South Brunswick Police Department
Police used surveillance footage, including from local businesses, along with tips to track down the 50-year-old couple and determine there was no foul play Thursday, Ryan said.
“It’s amazing what people can do if they mobilize,” he said. “I’m glad the result was positive.”
Despite the odd mix-up, he said the witness ultimately did the right thing by reporting the woman in distress.
“He actually saw it right and made some great observations,” Ryan said.
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