FORKS — A Tacoma woman expected to appear in Jefferson County Superior Court today was arrested last week on suspicion of kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and assaulting another female.
Laura A. Silva, 31, was arrested late Thursday after a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy and a detective responded to a report of an altercation at the Hoh Oxbow campground, and while en route, they received a report of a subsequent vehicle crash and that the driver had assaulted a passenger.
Once Detective Joe Pursely and Deputy Gene Hoagland arrived at the scene of the crash, they found the adult female victim, who told the investigators that Silva had held her against her will, chased her with a rubber mallet and, while pointing a firearm at her, said “you know what this is, I’m going to kill you,” Sgt. Brett Anglin said in a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office social media post.
Silva has been held without bail at the Jefferson County Jail since Thursday night and remained there Monday.
At her initial court appearance today, potential charges include first-degree attempted kidnapping-domestic violence in addition to domestic violence assault and unlawful imprisonment, Anglin said Monday.
The victim told investigators she had been forced into Silva’s vehicle, which witnesses said sped from the campground and collided into a ravine nearby, Anglin said.
Bystanders responded and assisted the victim, who was visibly shaking, and said to them, “Please don’t let her find me or she’ll kill me,” Anglin said.
Investigators learned Silva and the victim had an argument as they were traveling from Michigan to Washington, and Silva reportedly assaulted the victim numerous times, confiscated her phone, ID, credit cards and money, Anglin said.
Silva also allegedly held the victim against her will in a hotel room and forced her to lay under a desk in the corner of a room, Anglin’s social media post said.
While traveling, the victim left a note at a campsite on Mount Rainier pleading for help. The note was found by local law enforcement, but they were unable to immediately identify the victim. A Facebook post was created in an attempt to identify the woman, Anglin said.
A firearm was located inside Silva’s vehicle after the sheriff’s office obtained a search warrant, Anglin said.
The investigation was ongoing Monday. If anyone has information regarding the incident, Anglin urges them to contact Pursley at jpursley@co.jefferson.wa.us.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.