Test drive turns into kidnapping for terrified Calif. car salesman

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Southern California car salesman Edgar Guardado says a female customer kidnapped him during a test drive on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012.

/ CBS Los Angeles

(CBS) BANNING, Calif. - Veteran car salesman Edgar Guardado said he was kidnapped by a woman during a routine test drive on Tuesday, after the woman realized she couldn't afford the car, CBS Los Angeles reports.

Guardado said he was taken by 34-year-old Courtney Hulbert after he tried to close a deal for a Kia sedan at the Auto Source Used Car Dealership in Banning, Calif.

Police said Hulbert drove to a Wells Fargo bank with Guardado to pick up cash in order to purchase the car. When the teller told Hulbert she didn't have enough money, the woman insisted on driving the car back to the lot.

Bu the salesman said that's not what happened.

"Instead of coming to the lot, she went straight to the freeway towards Arizona," Guardado told CBS Los Angeles.

Guardado said Hulbert was driving as fast 95 miles per hour while talking to someone on the phone, who he worried was an accomplice that might hurt him.

"My body started shaking. I didn't know if she had a gun on her," he said.

Within five minutes of the alleged kidnapping, Hulbert was forced to stop her vehicle when another car cut in front of her. Guardado immediately jumped out of the car as Hulbert sped away, and he called 911. It took police nearly a half hour to find him because he was so far off the highway.

Guardado said the ordeal changed the way he approaches test drives with customers, which he has been doing for 20 years.

Police later arrested Hulbert outside a K-Mart store after tracing her bank card activities. Authorities said she had her child with her even though she lost custody.

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