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Wife vanishes after husband is carjacked, suspect on the run in Petersburg

Posted at 1:44 PM, Jan 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-18 19:18:16-05

PETERSBURG, Va. -- Police are urging the public to be on the lookout for a missing woman as they also search for a "person of interest" in a carjacking, attempted robbery and abduction in Petersburg Wednesday morning.

“A bizarre crime that is literally still unfolding… involving multiple police pursuits, a possible abduction and a possible robbery attempt of a person at a bank," WTVR CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil said in a live report on Facebook.

Police said 76-year-old Minnie Woodard, who lives at 224 Jefferson Street, was last seen at 9:30 a.m. and is likely in serious need of medical attention.

Minnie Woodard

Minnie Woodard

Police said 32-year-old Kristopher T. Jones of Petersburg is a "person of interest" in her disappearance and the carjacking and attempted robbery of her husband.

Jones is described a light-skinned black male, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds.

Kristopher T. Jones (PHOTO: Petersburg Police)

Kristopher T. Jones (PHOTO: Petersburg Police)

This all started when police were called to the Bank of America in the 1900 block of S. Crater Road.

Minnie Woodard's husband said a man forced him into the couple's vehicle, a black four-door 2008 BMW 7 sedan with Virginia handicap tags 435-027, at their home in the 200 block of S. Jefferson Street.

Police then said Jones forced Mr. Woodard to drive to Dinwiddie County to get money from an ATM.

When Mr. Woodard could not get cash from the ATM, police said Jones made him drive to the Bank of America off Crater Road, where the couple banks.

When Mr. Woodard went inside, police said bank workers realized something was amiss and called police.

“Apparently, he alerted a teller at the bank that he was under some type of duress. And they, in return, called the police," Capt. Brian Braswell with Petersburg Police said.

Police said Jones took off in Woodard’s SUV.

Petersburg police spotted the vehicle and multiple pursuits began in the city, then headed toward Dinwiddie, then to Hopewell and at last check had circled back to Dinwiddie.

In fact, officers said the BMW was last spotted on Boydton Plank Road in Dinwiddie County.

When police arrived at the couple’s home, they found Minnie Woodard had vanished.

Mr. Woodard told officers he believed his wife was at home and that he had not seen her since earlier in the morning.

“Based on what the investigators found that went inside the house, they feel like she may need some medical attention,” Braswell said.

Officers were still at the couple’s home as of 5 p.m.

Additionally, police sources said Jones also robbed a convenience store in Chesterfield County Wednesday afternoon.

Warrants were issued for Jones on Carjacking, Abduction, Attempted Armed Robbery and Grand Larceny charges.

Anyone with information about Jones' or Woodard’s whereabouts is urged to call 911 or Petersburg Police at 804-732-4222 or 804-863-2700.

Stay with WTVR.com and watch CBS 6 News starting at 5 p.m. for the latest updates on this developing story.

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