Ohio man accused of abducting car saleswoman during jeep test drive

MARYSVILLE, Ohio – A 51-year-old man from central Ohio is facing felony charges after authorities say he abducted a car saleswoman during what was supposed to be a routine test drive of a Jeep Wrangler, forcing her to wait in the vehicle while he ran personal errands.

Todd Marrs was charged with abduction and disrupting public services, according to court records. He was arrested on January 4 and booked into the Tri-County Regional Jail, where he remains on a $250,000 bond.

Investigators say the incident began on December 19 at the Performance Luxury Sport dealership in Marysville, roughly 35 miles northwest of Columbus. Marrs reportedly arrived at the dealership and asked to test drive a Jeep Wrangler. A female sales associate accompanied him, but the drive took an unexpected turn when Marrs deviated from the standard route.

Court documents reviewed by local station WBNS indicate that Marrs stopped the SUV near a warehouse by railroad tracks and sat silently for several minutes. When the employee urged him to return to the dealership, he allegedly told her, “No, now you’ll sit there and wait like a good girl.”

The woman discreetly texted her co-workers and shared her location. When she attempted to call them, Marrs allegedly grabbed her phone and threw it onto the floor of the vehicle. Police say Marrs then drove to a nearby hospital to pick up a friend and refused to take the woman back to work until he had completed his errands.

After dropping her off with his friend still in the car, the employee reported the incident to authorities, prompting an investigation that led to Marrs’ arrest two weeks later.

Marrs is scheduled to appear in court again on January 29 to face the charges stemming from the alleged abduction.

A Marysville man was arrested after police say he abducted a car saleswoman during a Jeep test drive and forced her to accompany him on personal errands.

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