911 Dispatcher Helps Save Woman Locked in Trunk

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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A 911 dispatcher for Johnston County, North Carolina, recently helped save a woman who was locked in the trunk of a moving car, according to officials.

The 29-year-old woman called 911 around 4 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2017, saying she had a disagreement with her boyfriend, who forced her into a trunk, Jason Barbour, director of the Johnston County Emergency 911 Communications Center, said.

Barbour told ABC News Tuesday that the shift supervisor at the time, Tim Medlin, responded to the call.

“She was crying and very upset, so it was hard to understand her at first, but [Medlin] finally heard her say she was locked in a trunk of a car,” Barbour explained. “The call then dropped, and his multiple attempts to call her back were unsuccessful.”

Medlin “refused to give up” and used the office’s emergency cellphone in an attempt to reach the woman, according to Barbour.

“It was this flip phone, and [Medlin] texted the woman on that phone since he couldn’t reach her by calling,” Barbour said. “Fortunately, she started texting back and told us that she needed help and that she believed she was in a red Mustang headed towards Fayetteville.”

Medlin was then able to get the woman’s location with the help of a cellphone provider. Police responded and stopped the car in the city of Fayetteville, Barbour said.

“And lo and behold, the woman was in the trunk of the car,” Barbour said. He added that if it wasn’t for Medlin’s quick thinking, the woman may not have been found on time.

“He really stood by our motto, ‘Failure is not an option,'” Barbour said.

Lt. Todd Joyce, a public information officer for the Fayetteville Police Department, told ABC News Tuesday that the woman in the trunk was found unharmed. He added that her boyfriend, 32-year-old Nicholas Mattevi, was arrested around 5 a.m. and charged with false imprisonment, a misdemeanor.

Mattevi has since been released from jail, according to Joyce. He said it was not immediately clear if Mattevi had obtained a lawyer or entered a plea.

ABC News could not reach Mattevi for comment.

The Cumberland County District Court did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for information.

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