Man arrested after kidnapping in Silver Lake neighborhood

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - A man is being held without bond after a woman screamed for help during an abduction in broad daylight Friday morning in the Silver Lake area, authorities said.

Deputies arrested Eric Britton Harrelson and charged him with second-degree kidnapping and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence following an intensive multi-agency search across southern New Hanover County.

The investigation began around 7:30 a.m. when a 911 caller reported an abduction on Horn Road. Several witnesses told law enforcement they saw a young woman being forcibly held inside a dark-colored SUV near Horn Road and Carolina Beach Road. Witnesses told investigators they heard the woman screaming for help and saw her fighting to break free before the driver sped away with her still inside.

The initial report triggered a massive law enforcement response and placed nearby schools on alert. New Hanover County Schools activated safety protocols to account for all students and verify unexcused absences directly with families.

Neither the victim nor the suspect was initially identified, prompting sheriff’s detectives, regional officers and state and federal partners to canvass the neighborhood and track down leads.

Investigators found the woman safe after she managed to get away from the suspect.

Harrelson is being held without bond at the New Hanover County Detention Facility.