TEXAS, USA — Arlington police issued a CLEAR Alert Friday for a missing 20-year-old woman last seen in Denton, which then led to a police chase throughout Tarrant County.
Police were able to arrest the suspect, 21-year-old Ramel Hawkins Jr., without incident. The victim was taken to a local hospital to get checked out but is otherwise safe, police said.
The Arlington Police Department (APD) said the victim was seen at 9:48 a.m. in Denton on northbound Interstate 35 in a red 2021 Toyota Camry rental being driven by Hawkins.
Law enforcement officials said the victim's disappearance posed a credible threat to her own health and safety.
Officers first responded to the reported kidnapping at about 9:50 a.m. in the 6000 block of Summerfield Drive, police said. Witnesses told them the victim had been forced into a vehicle by Hawkins who then drove off with her.
Fort Worth police said an officer spotted the vehicle and asked officers to assist in stopping it. That's when the pursuit began.
WFAA learned of police chasing this vehicle when it was going eastbound on Interstate 20 toward Arlington. The vehicle led police southbound on TX 360 Toll, then northbound on Highway 287, then westbound on I-20, then southbound on Interstate 35W.
A Fort Worth officer was able to use a deflation device to flatten one of the tires during the chase to slow the vehicle down.
The vehicle, police said, continued to Burleson before stopping. The chase ended at I-35W and E. Hidden Creek Pkwy.
Police have since ended the CLEAR Alert.
Hawkins was booked into the Arlington City jail and charged with aggravated kidnapping, burglary of a habitation and evading.
Arlington police are asking anyone with any information regarding this incident to call their department at 817-459-5735.
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