Cedar Rapids Woman Was Imprisoned In Her Own Home
A Cedar Rapids woman who says she was falsely imprisoned inside her own home was able to escape and contact authorities for help.
According to a media release from the Cedar Rapids Police Department, a 41-year-old woman freed herself from inside her home on the northwest side just before 7 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Police say the woman had met a man on Facebook sometime in the last two to three weeks. Around 2:30 Wednesday morning the man was at her home, pointed a gun at her, and demanded money. Her cell phone was stolen and the man took her to the basement of her house, tied multiple items of clothing around her, and also placed her in handcuffs.
Miraculously, the woman freed herself in approximately four hours, went outside, and asked for help from someone in the neighborhood. That's when police were called.
The victim was able to tell investigators with the Cedar Rapids Police Department that the man she says committed the crimes was 43-year-old Christopher F. Bullins.
Responding officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department found a 2018 Buick Encore that the woman owns had been stolen.
A nationwide alert for the missing vehicle went out. It was spotted on I-74 west of Galesburg, Illinois just before 10 a.m. Six troopers with the Illinois State Patrol stopped the vehicle and were able to arrest Bullins without incident. Cedar Rapids Police say he had "several valid nationwide warrants through multiple states. A handgun was recovered from the vehicle."
Cedar Rapids Police say Bullins will be charged with 1st Degree Robbery, 1st Degree Theft, Assault While Displaying a Dangerous Weapon, False Imprisonment, and Obstruction of Emergency Communication.
The unnamed victim was taken to UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids to be treated for injuries that were a result of being restrained.