PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (WDVM) – A 62-year-old Maryland man was arrested Friday night after allegedly kidnapping a woman and making her sit, naked, in a U-Haul as he drove around for hours.
Maryland State Police said Dennis Bell of Lanham faces 14 criminal charges including first-degree assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, fourth-degree sex offense, possession of suspected crack cocaine, and driving while impaired. Bell also faces 19 traffic charges related to the incident.
According to authorities, Bell was driving a U-Haul truck in Washington, D.C. Friday morning when he encountered the victim at a convenience store. He allegedly pushed her into the truck and threatened to kill her if she didn’t do what he told her, the woman explained to police.
The woman said Bell drove around all day as she sat on the floorboard, Maryland State Police wrote in a press release. She added that, at one point, Bell removed her clothing and stabbed her fingers with a pocket knife.
The woman told police that as they drove around, she wasn’t sure where they were.
At about 9:45 p.m., troopers received multiple calls for a U-Haul truck that was driving erratically and hitting parked vehicles in Lanham. Maryland State Police responded to the area and found the truck.
When they tried to conduct a traffic stop on the U-Haul, police said Bell refused to stop. He allegedly led them on a pursuit that ended after the truck “became disabled in a ditch.”
According to authorities, two troopers then approached the passenger side of the U-Haul to make contact with Bell but he refused to exit the truck after multiple verbal requests.
Troopers were able to gain entry into the truck through the passenger side window and that’s when they discovered the victim, without clothes and sitting on the floorboard in the front seat with apparent wounds to her fingers.
The victim, who has not been identified, was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
Bell, who police said was uncooperative at the scene, was taken to the hospital before being transported to the Upper Marlboro Department of Corrections.
Online court records show Bell made his initial court appearance Sunday. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear again for a bail/bond review on Monday.
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