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Woman leads officers on a wild chase after faking kidnapping, deputies say

Deputies said the woman claimed she was kidnapped and needed help.

RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. — Randolph County deputies say a woman took advantage of someone's kindness, stole a car, led deputies on a chase down the wrong side of the road, and crashed into a patrol car all in the same night. 

Deputies say it started on December 11, when Virginia Saavedra knocked on a man's door on Beckerdite road. They said she claimed to have escaped a kidnapping attempt and the man allowed her to sit in his car and get warm while he called for help.  

According to deputies, Saavedra jumped in the driver's seat and took off with the car. She was spotted going northbound on Highway 311. Deputies say they tried to stop her but she led them on a 26-mile chase into Davidson County on Interstate 85. 

The 911 call from that night is below. 

They say she made a U-turn at a rest stop and started traveling North on Southbound lanes when patrol cars boxed her in and the car got stuck. According to deputies, she wasn't done. She put the car in reverse, hitting a patrol car, and eventually tried to run away before officers captured her.

Deputies say she gave them a false name and faked the kidnapping story just to steal the car. 

Saavedra is facing multiple charges including Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle, Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon On Government Official, and Driving the Wrong Way on a Divided Highway. She's being held at Randolph County Detention Center under a $150,000 bond.
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