Sheriff’s deputy frees captive woman at Route 17 commuter lot

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STAFFORD COUNTY — A Stafford County Sheriff’s Deputy is being heralded as a hero after he saved a woman from alleged abductors.

Deputy KJ Simpson was patrolling a commuter lot on Route 17 in south Stafford about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 14 when he came on a red pickup parked at the back of the lot. Two men and a woman were inside the truck.

The deputy noticed the woman had been crying and was upset at the time he pulled up. One of two men told the deputy that they were arguing. The two men are identified as Dallas Corder and Michael McGinniss.

“Deputy Simpson noticed that while he was speaking to the males the female was shaking and appeared scared. At the time the female was sitting between the two males. Deputy Simpson instructed McGinniss to open the door and allow the female out,” a sheriff’s office spokesman wrote in a press release.

Once out of the car, the deputy took the woman to his patrol car where she told him “help me, get me out of here they have a gun.”

“Deputy Simpson immediately pushed the female to safety behind his patrol car and drew his firearm. He instructed Corder and McGinniss to show their hands. By this time additional deputies had arrived on scene. As Deputy Simpson got closer to the vehicle, he noticed another male subject lying in the back seat area.”

The third man is identified as Walter Elton Tate.

One of the men told the deputy that a gun was in the door pocket. Then he ordered all three men to

“McGinniss got out of the truck, hesitated for a moment then took off running,” states a press release.

McGinnis was eventually arrested, and the two other men were taken into custody without incident.

More from the press release: 

Detectives learned that McGinnis, Corder, and Tate are all acquaintances of the female victim. Corder picked the victim up at a nearby motel and pulled into an adjoining parking lot where McGinnis and Tate jumped into the truck. One of the subjects is reported to have put a gun to the victims head and accused her of stealing from him. At some point, the victim was driven to the Rt. 17 Commuter Lot where she was held against her will and assaulted.

Two firearms were recovered from the suspect’s truck. All three suspects were arrested and taken before the magistrate where charges were placed. The female victim was transported to an area hospital where she was treated and later released.

Michael Andrew McGinnis, age 23 of Farnham, VA was charged with one count of Abduction, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Abduction, two counts of Possession of a Concealed Firearm, one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, one count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony and one count of Obstruction of Justice. McGinnis is currently being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Dallas B. Corder, age 25 of Colonial Beach, VA was charged with one count of Abduction, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Abduction, two counts of Possession of a Concealed Firearm, one count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, one count of Strangulation and one count of Obstruction of Justice. Corder is currently being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Walter Elton Tate, age 18 of Caret, VA was charged with one count of Abduction, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Abduction, two counts of Possession of a Concealed Firearm, one count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. McGinnis is currently being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Pictured above: McGinnis, Dallas, Tate