Sheriff: Woman jumps from moving vehicle after being kidnapped in Vancouver, suspect arrested

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV) - A woman jumped from a moving vehicle in order to get away from a man who reportedly kidnapped her in Vancouver early Saturday morning.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation began just after 4:30 a.m. on Saturday after a 911 caller in the 24000 block of Northeast 28th Street reported a woman was banging on their door saying she had been kidnapped.

Deputies arrived and spoke with the woman who appeared to be in distress. The sheriff’s office said the woman reported she was near Mill Plain Boulevard and Grand Boulevard when a man approached her vehicle and asked for some water. She gave him some water and allowed him to get into her vehicle. Once in the vehicle, the man reportedly showed a knife and threatened violence to take over control of the vehicle.

The suspect then drove into the area of Northeast 28th Street and Northeast 233rd Avenue in Camas. When the vehicle slowed down along a dirt road, the victim was able to jump out of the vehicle and began knocking on doors of homes in the area, according to the sheriff’s office.

For one Camas family, they would become the unexpected saviors of the woman. Caitlin Martin and her husband Jamie Woods say they live in the house where the woman sought help after escaping from the kidnapper near 28th Street and 233rd Avenue.

“Police told us later on the next day that she was in fact kidnapped, then I was fairly happy that my husband was calm in the situation and made sure she was okay,” said Martin. “But it was a scary situation.”

Martin and her husband Jamie Woods say they thought someone was trying to break into their house and hurt them and their children early Saturday. Their 12-year-old daughter Addison was sleeping just feet from the door on a couch.

“I was shocked because I heard like, banging on the door and the dogs barking,” said Addison. “And scared because I thought someone was trying to break in, and I saw my dad walk out and talk to her.

Jamie Woods says he was wary at first of the woman’s story, and was concerned for his family’s safety, but he quickly realized she was scared and needed help. Jamie recounts the eerie moments he says the kidnapper allegedly drove by his house after the woman escaped.

“A white SUV KIA stopped at the stop sign for a couple of seconds and then took off,” said Woods. “She grappled onto me for comfort saying ‘Oh my god there he is he’s going to kill me!’:

Deputies would soon arrive and take care of the woman. Jamie Woods and Caitlin martin say they’re shaken, but grateful they did the right thing.

“I’m just glad that nobody was hurt, nobody was killed,” said Woods. “And at the end of the day, everyone was safe for the most part.”

Deputies located the victim’s vehicle after a search. The suspect initially stopped, then eluded deputies.

The sheriff’s office said a pursuit began at about 5:14 a.m. in the area of NE 28th Street and NE 222nd Avenue and ended about 11 minutes later near NE 2nd Street and NE 115th Avenue when deputies, along with Vancouver police officers, were able to pin the vehicle when it came to a stop.

The suspect was arrested after several attempts to free the vehicle failed. According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect initially refused to identify himself.

The suspect, identified Tuesday as 31-year-old Jeremy Alexksa, was booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, attempt to elude, and reckless driving.

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