Woman abducted, escapes by jumping out of speeding SUV

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This article was published 12/11/2021 (1786 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A young woman who was assaulted outside a south Winnipeg recreation centre and dragged into an SUV escaped her kidnappers by jumping from the vehicle as it sped along the Trans-Canada Highway east of the city.

Winnipeg police said the abduction happened outside the South YMCA-YWCA near St. Mary’s Road and Fermor Avenue around 8 p.m. on Nov. 1.

Officers were summoned by witnesses, at least one of whom tried to intervene in the kidnapping, after two men assaulted the woman in her 20s at a nearby bus stop before taking her into the vehicle and speeding away.

Const. Rob Carver said one of the suspects threatened the witness with a knife and claimed to be a police officer.

Multiple police resources were deployed, Carver said, and about 40 minutes later Manitoba RCMP received reports of a woman who had jumped out of an SUV while it was travelling east on the Trans-Canada Highway near Highway 207, which is known as Deacons Corner.

The driver stopped to get the woman, but fled when other motorists stopped to assist, police said.

The woman had significant injuries and was taken to hospital in Steinbach. Later, she was transported to Winnipeg for treatment. She has since been released, Carver said.

The following day, Joshua Andrew Baker, 22, was arrested by the major crimes unit and the tactical support unit in Winnipeg and charged with aggravated assault, kidnapping, uttering threats, impersonating a peace office, robbery and failing to comply with a probation order.

An arrest warrant has been issued for his brother Jason Robert Baker, 28, who faces similar charges related to the incident and is considered armed and dangerous.

Carver said he was unable to share information about whether Baker is believed to be in Winnipeg.

Carver said the victim and the two accused knew each other, but declined to elaborate. Investigators do not believe the abduction to be related to human trafficking or the sex trade, he said.

“As tragic and as violent as this is, it’s not the same as a random victim being dragged off the street and assaulted. That’s not what we have here,” Carver said.

Anyone with information about Jason Baker’s whereabouts is asked to call investigators at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca