Greenport native recalls carjacking, kidnapping

A Greenport native spoke to News 12 Long Island Tuesday after she was carjacked and kidnapped last week in Pennsylvania. Rachel Stephenson, a Binghamton University student, says she stopped for gas

News 12 Staff

Jan 6, 2016, 3:03 AM

Updated 3,180 days ago

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A Greenport native spoke to News 12 Long Island Tuesday after she was carjacked and kidnapped last week in Pennsylvania.
Rachel Stephenson, a Binghamton University student, says she stopped for gas in East Stroudsburg last Wednesday. That's when she says Raliek Chambers jumped into her driver's seat and attempted to steal the car. After a struggle, police say Chambers forced Stephenson into the back seat and began to drive south.
While driving, authorities say Chambers referred to Stephenson as his hostage and struck her several times. Stephenson says she was able to get him to pull over at a Frackville gas station. She says her abductor threatened to shoot her if she did anything "stupid."
Then Stephenson made her escape. Surveillance cameras at the gas station captured her running to safety, enlisting the help of a man at another gas pump.
Police say Chambers, 18, fled the scene and was pursued by Pennsylvania State Police. He was apprehended in the Harrisburg area.
Chambers was charged with robbery of a motor vehicle, kidnapping for ransom, kidnapping to facilitate a felony, receiving stolen property, false imprisonment, simple assault and unlawful restraint.