Sea hunt.

The New Hanover County, North Carolina, Sheriff's Office received a call that a male had shot at and kidnapped his estranged girlfriend at gunpoint, forcing his way into her truck on a rural road. Shortly after receiving the call, officers located an abandoned vehicle that had been operated by the subject along with a firearm. Investigation revealed the identities of the victim and the subject; cellular phone calls to family members by both the victim and the subject verified investigative results. A negotiator with the sheriff's office emergency response team contacted the victim by telephone and, after several hours, determined the location of the two individuals.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

On learning the location, both the negotiator and tactical elements of the emergency response team moved into the area. The subject, now driving the truck, attempted to flee but was blocked, so he turned to drive toward the intra-coastal waterway. The victim jumped from the truck, and the subject drove directly into the waterway.

The photo depicts members of the sheriff's office emergency response team deployed on the bow of a U.S. Coast Guard vessel approaching the subject who was partially concealed on the floor of the flooded truck. The subject was removed without incident after approximately 30 minutes; he suffered exposure to the 39-degree water.