Witness to a crime--wwyd?

[ronandannette]

other people must have seen it,your the only one to do anything

You have no way of knowing that. The OP didn’t actively intervene to stop the actual incident, she alerted the authorities. Others may have done the same.

 

[UncleMike101]

Police reports are public record and available by request.

Active Criminal investigation reports are not open to the Public without a Court order.
The chances of a sober Judge releasing ongoing criminal investigation information to the General Public is pretty near zero.
Releasing said information would compromise the ongoing investigation and could aid the criminal in avoiding capture.
Release of finalized reports is subject to the discretion of the Prosecutor and the Judge(s) assigned to the case.
Basically the only information released regarding an ongoing criminal investigation will be used to aid in identification of the suspects and collection of evidence.

 

[dominiondad]

I think you did the right thing. There is always a risk in getting involved. Your name can end up on a report, or you can be called to testify in court regarding what you saw. But if somebody is getting hurt, we as a society shouldn't hide in the shadows. What you did could have saved somebody's life.

I also think you didn't do the right things. Don't physically confront somebody unless it's a last resort, leave that to the police. Don't drive like a maniac and endanger others. It sounds like you didn't do either. Thank you for getting involved. If anybody from my family is ever the victim of a crime, I really hope there is somebody like you around.

 

[iivye]

I had something similar happen. I was getting off the highway and on the exit ramp there was a car stopped and a man was trying to force a woman in the car. It was hard to tell if it was a boyfriend/girlfriend fight or something more so I called the police and reported it. The dispatcher actually said that others had called and reported the same thing and that an officer was on the way. It actually restored some of my faith in humanity to hear that others had reported the same incident.

ETA: When I did place the call the dispatcher didn't ask my name or anything. I'm assuming if it turned out to be something serious they would have called my phone back.

 

[DLgal]

I agree you should have called 911. Next time, do it immediately, while you are driving. A description of the car and people involved is more than enough...no need to get a full license plate number. And don't ever follow or attempt to keep tabs on a car that contains potentially violent people. Let law enforcement do their jobs.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think you did as much as you could do seeing the circumstances, and more than anybody else did, I'm sure!

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I agree you should have called 911. Next time, do it immediately, while you are driving. A description of the car and people involved is more than enough...no need to get a full license plate number. And don't ever follow or attempt to keep tabs on a car that contains potentially violent people. Let law enforcement do their jobs.

Thanks, I know better but I kind of reacted. I think I was afraid to let her out of my sight and I didn't really think it through.

I didn't grow up with 911 service, my town didn't get it until sometime in the 90s. Our police had an emergency number and a non-emergency number, you had to use your judgement about which one to call. Old habits die hard, I guess. And 911 service sucks out here, I think it dispatches from the city.

 

[dazedx3]

This wasn't by any chance in Milwaukee was it? There was a case that sounds very similar, if so, the woman is safe and her boyfriend is in jail.

 

[anniemae]

You did the right thing by calling the authorities. As others have said, you should have called 911, but at least you did something. Think of in a few years if that was your daughter. Wouldn't you want people to call the police? I understand it's hard putting yourself out there and getting involved though, it is scary.

 

[a1tinkfans]

OP Hope you are feeling better about what you experienced yesterday. You just may have saved a life.
Thx for helping out another person that had been in need.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

This wasn't by any chance in Milwaukee was it? There was a case that sounds very similar, if so, the woman is safe and her boyfriend is in jail.

Pennsylvania

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

OP Hope you are feeling better about what you experienced yesterday. You just may have saved a life.
Thx for helping out another person that had been in need.

Better today, thanks. Still never heard from the police. I guess I just have to let it go and hope she is ok.

 

[Kellydelly]

I would have called 911 immediately and kept my distance but stayed near the vehicle if possible. A few years ago (2008) my husband's cousin's cousin kidnapped, raped, and murdered a young woman down in Port Charlotte, FL. A few people saw her in his vehicle screaming and actually did call 911 but the calls were not handled right and she wasn't saved. That was on the sheriff's dept, not the people trying to call on her behalf. So sad. Always call, even if you are mistaken, you could save a life!