ROCKLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A woman from Rockland is bruised, but alive after being assaulted and kidnapped on the city’s Main Street Wednesday night.
Rockland Police say the woman, who is reported to be 22 years old, was walking home from work about 11:30 p.m. when a man wearing a ski mask jumped out of a car and grabbed her.
The woman told Village Soup, our mid-coast media partner, that she head-butted the man but that he then punched her several times in the face, then choked her until she lost consciousness.
The man then put the woman into his car. Police say that man was 29-year old Shane Hall of Portland, who has a long criminal record in Maine courts They do not know why he was in Rockland.
Police also say that just after Hall put the unconscious woman in his car, a cruiser happened to come by the scene. Chief Bruce Boucher says the officer noticed the car parked at a strange angle and pulled in behind it. The car then pulled out, driving erratically, so the officer followed. About a quarter mile down the road the police car’s blue lights went on and a chase began. Chief Boucher says that chase lasted for nearly a mile, through several streets, ending after Hall’s car sideswiped a pole on Pleasant Street and then rolled over.
In an interview with Village Soup, the victim said the kidnapper threatened to kill her with a knife if she resisted in the car. However, she did resist, calling 911 on her cell phone and grabbing the steering wheel toe try to force the car off the road.
“The victim made a 911 call to dispatch during the chase,” said Chief Boucher,“ and as a matter of fact in the back ground you can hear the siren during the chase and hear the vehicle crash.”
Boucher said things unfolded so quickly that the 911 message didn’t reach his officers until after the rescued the woman from the car, and learned she had been kidnapped. She was treated at the hospital and is back at home.
Hall was charged with kidnapping and eluding an officer, but Deputy Chief Chris Young said there will definitely be additional charges, including aggravated assault.
Hall is due in court in Rockland on Friday.