WILMINGTON — Law enforcement have made an arrest in an abduction case that began Friday morning.
Eric Britton Harrelson has been arrested and charged with second-degree kidnapping and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Harrelson is currently being held at the New Hanover County Detention Facility without bond.
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest after investigating a reported abduction in the area of Horn Road and Carolina Beach Road on Friday morning around 7:30. According to witnesses, a young woman was forcibly restrained into a dark-colored SUV, with witnesses hearing her scream for help, some of whom watched her attempt to escape the suspect as well.
At the onset of the investigation, identities of both the victim and the suspect were unknown, according to the sheriff’s office. However, detectives and deputies worked with federal, state and other local partners to canvass the area for more leads.
NHSO School Resource Officers immediately began looking into whether students were involved and ruled it out, with the help of New Hanover County Schools. A message that went out to families around 1 p.m. noted the schools began establishing safety protocols, which included verification of student attendance and absences by contacting parents and guardians.
“Attendance verification is an important part of our student safety systems because it allows our schools to quickly account for students, identify an unexpected absence, and communicate directly with families when a student’s whereabouts need to be confirmed,” Superintendent Chris Barnes wrote in a message.
Law enforcement located the victim who was safe and managed to get away from the suspect. The investigation remains ongoing and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
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