St. Johns County deputies find woman seen being thrown into truck

PHOTO GALLERY: Three people shot on Jacksonville's Eastside

UPDATE (11:30 a.m. Monday): Deputies are still seeking kidnapping suspect Eric Van Maier.

Deputies say he knows he is being sought by authorities and has made comments that he is armed.

He was last known to be in the St. Augustine area but also has contacts in Jacksonville.

Anyone who has contact with him is asked to call 911 immediately and not to confront him directly.

UPDATE (2 p.m. Sunday): St. Johns County Sheriff's Office says they found the truck sought in a possible kidnapping near St. Augustine.

Deputies are looking for  Eric Van Maier, 41. His silver Chevy was found and impounded in St. Augustine. The woman he was reportedly with is recovering from minor injuries, deputies aid.

Deputies said that "Maier is aware he is being sought by authorities and has made comments he is armed, so anyone who has contact with him are asked to call 911 immediately and not to confront him directly."

UPDATE (9 a.m. Sunday): Deputies said they have located the female victim in the kidnapping that allegedly occurred near Palencia.

The male suspect has been identified but has fled the area, deputies said. Detectives are continuing the investigation and are pursuing multiple charges related to the event.

ORIGINAL STORY: The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office was called to U.S.1 North near Palencia in regards to a possible domestic violence situation on Saturday.

According to deputies, a woman exited a pickup truck while it was still moving and ran to a construction site where she asked a person there for help.

The pickup truck circled the area and pulled back into the construction site, deputies said.

A man exited the vehicle and forcibly took control of the woman, dragging her back to the pickup truck, deputies said.

The woman said it was her boyfriend, deputies said, and asked the person to contact law enforcement.

When the citizen tried to intervene, the man motioned threats to harm the individual. He then forced the woman into the truck and headed North on U.S.1 towards Jacksonville.

The suspect is described as a white male with Hawaiian board shorts and no shirt. Deputies said he is about 6-foot-2 and well-tanned.

The subject's truck was captured on a video surveillance camera as it circle the site, although a tag was not visible.

Anyone who may have knowledge about who these people are or may have information regarding their whereabouts is asked to call the nearest local law enforcement agency or the SJSO at (904) 824-8304.

Cox Media Group