WASHINGTON — A Stafford County, Virginia, man is in jail for allegedly abducting and assaulting his ex-girlfriend in her car — all while her 1-year-old child was in the back seat.
The woman went to Chase Rook’s home on Charter Gate Drive in southern Stafford County Tuesday to retrieve some of her personal belongings.
When she got there, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said Rook was so irate that he tried to rip the window of her car right out of its frame.
The ex-girlfriend got out of the car to try to calm Rook down, but he allegedly grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the vehicle. He then opened the door and threw the woman with enough force that she ended up in the passenger’s seat of the vehicle.
He then got in, with his ex-girlfriend and her young child inside, and got onto U.S. 17 toward Fauquier County.
While driving, the woman repeatedly asked him to let them out of the car.
The sheriff’s office told WTOP that Rook became increasingly angered. The sheriff’s office said he repeatedly called her names, hit her, ripped her necklace and threatened to harm her and the child.
Rook eventually brought the woman back to where the entire incident started after she promised him that she would not contact law enforcement.
She would end up contacting the sheriff’s office later that evening.
Stafford County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman M.C. Morris Moncure told WTOP that, if you are ever in a dangerous situation, or think that you may end up in a dangerous situation, please contact law enforcement if possible.
“We recommend that at the very first sign of difficulty to contact us.”
Morris Moncure said their goal is to prevent anyone from getting hurt.
“You also have the option of contacting us before the situation and, if need be, we will do our best to make sure the situation doesn’t occur in the first place,” Moncure said.
“Whenever there is a foreshadowing of a domestic situation, we just suggest that you contact our nonemergency number and get some advice on how to handle it or even an escort [by law enforcement].”
After they took information from the woman and examined her injuries, deputies located and arrested Rook without incident.
He has been charged with two counts of abduction, strangulation, assault and battery, reckless driving, destruction of property and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Rook is currently being held in the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.
