An East Point woman who told police three men tried to abduct her at a gas station last weekend was arrested after investigators determined she filed a false report, authorities said.
Cynthia Laret Collier, 42, turned herself in at the East Point police station Wednesday evening, three days after she claimed she was nearly abducted at a Circle K gas station, police said.
Officers responded to the convenience store on Camp Creek Parkway shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday, Capt. Allyn Glover said in a news release.
Collier allegedly told officers the men “followed her around” the store before chasing after her Uber in a gray Dodge Charger.
Surveillance footage from the store and nearby traffic cameras contradicted the woman’s claims, however, and police determined she was never in any danger, Glover said.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
“Collier advised detectives that at one point, she was in an Uber and that the Charger was following them,” Glover said. “Video shows a police SUV directly in front of the Uber driver’s vehicle, but no charger behind. Detectives were able to locate and speak with the Uber driver. At no time did Ms. Collier mention to the Uber driver that they were being followed and that she wanted to speak with the police.”
Collier’s attorney Jackie Patterson told Channel 2 Action News that his client never lied to police. Instead, he called Collier’s arrest retaliation for a video her cousin posted online criticizing the East Point Police Department’s handling to the case.
The video, posted on YouTube by author April Mason, had been viewed more than 17,000 times as of Wednesday evening.
“Just because an officer don’t see you being threatened doesn’t mean it didn’t happen,” Patterson told the news station. “She really thought these people were after her ... Because of that social media post that blasted East Point, they got upset and decided to charge her with a crime.”
Collier faces one count of false report of a crime. She was expected to be released from jail late Wednesday or early Thursday, Channel 2 reported.
In other news:
About the Author
