She was meeting a friend to go to the movies, but a former boyfriend became jealous and kidnapped, beat, and threatened her a gunpoint for hours, police said.
Morris Leonard Jones III, 22, is facing nine charges and remains in the Broward County Jail without bond, records show.
According to the arrest report, the woman was parking her car in the public garage at her friend’s Fort Lauderdale apartment complex just before 4 p.m. Sept. 18 when Jones showed up and blocked her car with his. She recognized Jones and rolled up her window, but he opened the door and pulled her out by her hair.
Jones took her cellphone and car keys by force and started fighting with her. He ordered her into his Chevrolet Camaro and when she refused, he picked her up and pushed her into his car then pulled out a handgun and said, “We both gonna die today,” the report stated.
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Jones drove off with her in the passenger seat. When they got to the first red light in the 1700 block of E. Sunrise Boulevard, she tried to escape by opening the door but Jones pointed the gun at her and said, “get back in,” investigators said.
He was angry and yelling and demanding to know who she was going to the movies with. He wanted her to unlock her cellphone but she refused, police said.
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She tried to escape at another red light, but Jones grabbed her by the hair and repeatedly struck her with the butt of his gun, detectives said.
He started speeding, running red lights, and driving recklessly toward Interstate 95 so she put her seat belt on. He entered the highway and headed north saying that he, “ain’t got nothing to lose,” and he was going to, “drive [them] into the lake,” according to court records.
At one point, Jones pulled over on the shoulder of I-95 near Copans Road in Pompano Beach and the woman opened the passenger door and started kicking her legs hoping to attract the attention of passers-by, but she stopped when Jones said, “I’ll kill you if you don’t get back inside,” investigators said.
Jones turned around and headed south on I-95 until he exited at Davie Boulevard and pulled into a parking lot at 3501 State Road 84. The woman ran from the Camaro to a man loading fishing gear in his truck and she urged him to call 911. He called a taxi instead when he saw Jones, police said.
Before the taxi arrived, Jones drove over, rolled down his window, pointed his gun at her, gave her until the count of five to get in the car and started counting down, five-four-three… and she got in, detectives said.
Hours had passed before Jones brought her home. When they arrived, the woman asked a neighbor to call 911 while Jones was inside her apartment taking several items and her dog. He tossed her keys and cellphone into the grass before driving away, police said.
Jones was arrested the next day on charges that include kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and robbery, among others, records show.
The woman – whose name was redacted from the police report – was treated for cuts and bruises on her face and head, and other injuries.
