Skip to main content

It’s not every day that you hear about someone jumping out of a car. However, some emergencies call for dramatic actions. Tragically for one Illinois woman, she saw no other option than jumping out of her car to escape an abusive man and get the attention of the police.

A woman in Park Forest, Illinois abandoned a moving car to get away from a hostile man and get the attention of nearby police officers

People don’t typically leap out of moving cars. As such, you would expect a person to have a pretty stellar and understandable reason for jumping out of a car at risk of injury or worse. However, one woman in Park Forest, Illinois lept from a car to escape an abusive man and a violent situation.

According to eNews Park Forest, an officer with the Olympia Fields Police Department responded to reports of domestic battery. Local dispatch received the call from the woman in the car, along with an agitated voice in the background. That voice belonged to the offender, a 30-year-old man. Tragically, the victim said that the offender repeatedly “punched her in the face.”

Fortunately, the woman noticed a patrol car following their vehicle and jumped out. Shortly after she lept from the car, police officers arrested the man for domestic battery. However, the heinous abuse wasn’t the man’s only crime. In addition to the battery charge, the Illinois Department of Corrections also wanted the abusive man on a parole violation and an unrelated aggravated assault charge.

Likely knowing the gravity of his repeated offenses, the man reportedly lit a cigarette in the back of the patrol vehicle following his arrest. In an act of desperation, the criminal lept out of the back of the cruiser before officers could escort him into the police station. He then claimed “his back was hurting and he needed to go to the hospital.”

Domestic violence is never acceptable. Help is out there. If you or someone you know is being abused, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Best in Tips, Tricks & Trends
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).