What started as a routine stop for gas turned into a terrifying 40-minute ordeal for an 18-year-old with autism after police say a stranger climbed into his Mini Cooper and drove away with him still inside.
Griffin Haire’s father, Dave Haire, later recounted the ordeal in an interview with ABC11. He said Griffin had stopped at a Circle K on Tyvola Road to fill up when he called to say he’d lost his keys. It’s unclear from the available reporting how the Mini Cooper was still able to be driven after Griffin said he’d lost his keys.
Court documents reviewed by Queen City News say a woman Griffin didn’t know got into his Mini Cooper and drove away with him in the passenger seat. What followed was a long, frightening ride across Charlotte.
Griffin stayed on the phone with his father throughout much of the ordeal, giving his family landmarks and turns to relay to 911. Dave Haire told ABC11 he could hear panic in his son’s voice, along with a woman yelling in the background, before the call suddenly dropped.
How the 40 Minutes Unfolded
Court documents show the Mini Cooper traveled from Tyvola Road along Independence Boulevard toward W.T. Harris Boulevard. Inside, the situation was as strange as it was frightening. Dash camera video captured Griffin telling the woman he was scared of strangers.
The woman can be heard telling Griffin, “Get in the car, I’m the new designated driver,” before insisting she had to drive because he was under the influence.
Through all of it, Griffin did something remarkably level-headed. He kept his family on the phone and fed them his location, turn by turn. His father later called it every parent’s worst fear coming true and said he could tell the woman was not in a good state.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers later located the Mini Cooper and attempted a traffic stop. Investigators allege the driver refused to stop, prompting officers to discontinue the ground pursuit while a CMPD helicopter tracked the vehicle from above.
The ordeal ended near W.T. Harris Boulevard and North Tryon Street, where court documents say Griffin jumped into traffic, causing the Mini Cooper to stop. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers then conducted a felony stop and took the driver into custody.
Safety and the Pending Charges
The most important part is that Griffin came out of it unharmed. His father said he was proud of how his son handled a situation few adults could. “He was brave, he was scared, he was brave,” Dave Haire told ABC11, adding that his son is safe. That relief is the heart of the story.
The woman arrested has been identified as 44-year-old Amanda Lea Gills. Mecklenburg County jail records show Gills was booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail at 2:22 a.m. on June 26. She’s charged with second-degree kidnapping, felony larceny of a motor vehicle, and misdemeanor fleeing to elude arrest. Prosecutors allege she unlawfully confined and transported Griffin without his consent, while ABC News reported investigators believe the carjacking was random and not specifically targeted at Griffin.
Those charges remain allegations, and Gills is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. What isn’t in question is how the ordeal ended: a frightened 18-year-old stayed remarkably calm, helped his family and police track his location, and ultimately made it home safely.