What started as a simple ride home ended in violence, leaving a woman injured and walking along the road looking for help.
The incident unfolded when deputies responded to a domestic violence complaint, according to a report from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
When officers arrived, they quickly realized something wasn’t adding up. The homeowner at the address had no idea why the location had been given and was not involved in the situation.
As deputies and assisting officers were sorting that out, a woman was spotted walking northbound along County Road 124 toward the scene as EMS arrived.
The woman told officers she had accepted a ride from a man she only knew as a friend of a friend after being picked up in Ashland. During the drive, she said she realized they were heading somewhere other than her intended destination.
According to the report, the situation quickly turned violent. The woman told deputies the driver began punching her while still behind the wheel, then opened the passenger door and kicked her out of the vehicle while it was still moving.
Deputies observed visible injuries, including a raised knot on her forehead, scrapes near her eye, and abrasions on both knees. EMS evaluated her at the scene, but she declined transport to the hospital.
The woman described the vehicle as an older white work van and told deputies the driver lived in a trailer park in South Point.
Because she is currently homeless, the woman asked to be taken to the Ironton City Mission, where she was dropped off safely.
Deputies later located the suspected vehicle at a nearby residence, but attempts to make contact with the man were unsuccessful.
Photographs of the woman’s injuries were taken and added to the report. The case remains under investigation.
What began as a favor from a stranger ended with a violent roadside escape — and deputies still looking for answers.
