Officer rescues kidnapped woman after spotting ‘help me’ plea during traffic stop

A woman in South Carolina was rescued from her alleged kidnapper after mouthing “help me” to a police officer during a traffic stop. The incident occurred on 28 May when Officer Kayla Wallace stopped a white Jeep for running a red light. The distressed female driver informed Wallace that the male passenger, Collins Bates, 29 years old, had abducted her at gunpoint following a shooting.

Officer Wallace, a member of the North Myrtle Beach Police Department, was unaware of the shooting prior to the traffic stop, as reported by Officer Pat Wilkinson. With only 30 minutes remaining in her shift, Wallace encountered the vehicle and noticed the driver’s distress.

According to the police report, Wallace instructed the driver to close her door while the passenger, Bates, explained that the windows didn’t roll down. The driver then mentioned feeling nauseous. The police department shared on Facebook that the female driver silently mouthed “help me” repeatedly while Bates was not looking.

Officer Wallace placed Bates in the back of her patrol car before returning to speak with the driver. The woman revealed that Bates had shot someone and forced her to drive him away at gunpoint. During the traffic stop, an alert was dispatched over Wallace’s radio, indicating that a white Jeep had been involved in a shooting in the county. The suspect’s description matched Bates.

County law enforcement arrived at the scene and arrested Bates, who now faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in connection with the shooting. A pistol was discovered under his seat in the car. The police department praised Officer Wallace, stating, “Our department and our community is lucky to have Officer Wallace.”