Salisbury man sentenced for kidnapping after date jumped from moving car
A Salisbury man has been convicted and sentenced, after he kidnapped and assaulted a woman on a date. On Wednesday, 32-year-old Philip Thomas, was found guilty of kidnapping and assaulting a woman he met for a date back in December 2015.
On December 19, 2015, just after midnight, Troopers stopped Thomas on Nanticoke Road, after he made an illegal U-turn, and nearly collided with the patrol car. The Troopers believed Thomas may have been driving under the influence of alcohol, so he was asked to perform field sobriety tests. During the course of the tests, a woman wearing tattered and blood-stained clothing, limped towards the Trooper’s flashing police lights.
An investigation showed that after their date had wrapped up, Thomas forced the 33-year-old woman into the car that he was driving, and sped off on Nanticoke Road toward Bivalve. The State’s Attorney’s Office says the victim’s emotional testimony at trial detailed the horrifying ride on Nanticoke Road as Thomas threatened that he was going to kill her, and hide her body. The victim eventually jumped from the moving vehicle which was travelling at approximately 50 MPH, in order to escape her kidnapper. After she jumped from the vehicle, Thomas made the erratic and illegal U-turn, which is what caught the attention of the Maryland State Police Trooper, who was driving on Nanticoke Road toward Salisbury.
State’s Attorney, Matthew A. Maciarello, commends the Maryland State Police including Trooper Travis Workman (the astute Trooper who made the traffic stop) and Trooper William Shelter who assisted the victim once she was discovered. Maciarello commented: “This case is a prime example of how traffic enforcement often leads to the apprehension of violent felons. In this case, an astute Maryland State Trooper surely saved a life. I am so thankful for their continued service to our community.”
After the trial, a circuit court judge sentenced Thomas to 18 years in the custody of the Division of Corrections.
