Ohio police have charged two men with attempting to abduct a female real estate agent as she was preparing to show a home.
David J. Helton
According to local reports, David J. Helton, 45, and Michael W.B. Evans, 37, pulled up in front of a home for sale in North Ridgeville, Ohio, in a silver SUV and waited until the 54-year-old agent came up to it. The man who drove the car approached the agent, asked for a business card and grabbed her by the arm when she moved toward her car to get one.
The other man reportedly began yelling “let’s go” and “get her in here.” The police report does not specify whether they were waiting for a specific agent or knew she was going to be there. The name of the agent was not released.
“After a struggle, the Realtor was able to break free and get into her vehicle and lock the doors,” North Ridgeville Police Department wrote on its Facebook page. “The two male suspects fled the area.”
The agent suffered cuts and bruises on her arms. According to police, Helton and Evans were arrested on August 26 and charged with felony abduction and misdemeanor assault. They were taken in to jail to wait for a court hearing.
Michael W.B. Evans
The police department’s post attracted a lot of attention online, with many expressing sympathy for the agent and urging others in the industry to stay safe when going to showings alone. The North Ridgeville Police Department, meanwhile, edited the post to say that they “appreciate the passion” and “all have families” but discouraged “personal attacks based on appearance” and “mobs calling for their deaths.”