A Texas woman managed to escape a residence where she told authorities a man had been holding her against her will and attacking her whenever she attempted to leave. The suspect is also accused of trying to run her over with his Chevrolet Silverado before authorities tracked him down in another county.
According to the Winkler County Sheriff’s Office, the incident came to light on October 8, 2026, at approximately 5:29 p.m., when officers responded to the 500 block of West Campbell Street in Kermit. A 46-year-old woman told authorities she had just escaped from a residence where she had been prevented from leaving.
Investigators determined that the woman had been held at a home in the 200 block of Bert Street, identifying the suspect as 45-year-old Christopher Bowden of Kermit. The woman told investigators that Bowden used physical violence against her whenever she attempted to leave the residence.
The woman also accused Bowden of attempting to strike her with a black Chevrolet Silverado, adding another serious accusation to the investigation. Authorities observed physical injuries on the woman that they said were consistent with her account of what happened.
Police Obtain Felony Warrants
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After their investigation, officers with the Kermit Police Department obtained two felony arrest warrants for Bowden, authorized by a district judge. The warrants included first-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and third-degree felony unlawful restraint exposing a person to serious bodily injury.
The accusations involved both the woman’s account of being physically prevented from leaving the residence and the attempt to strike her with a vehicle. The sheriff’s office did not specify how long the woman had been held at the residence or provide additional information about her relationship with Bowden.
With Bowden identified as the suspect, investigators began working to locate him and the black Chevrolet Silverado described in the woman’s statement. The Winkler County Sheriff’s Office eventually detected the vehicle in neighboring Ward County using Flock license plate recognition cameras.
License Plate Cameras Help Deputies
After identifying the Silverado’s location, the Winkler County Sheriff’s Office notified deputies with the Ward County Sheriff’s Office about the wanted suspect. Ward County deputies subsequently located the vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop that ended with Bowden being taken into custody without incident.
Bowden was transported to the Ward County Detention Center, where authorities said he was being held while awaiting bond or extradition to Winkler County. The sheriff’s office did not provide additional information about his bond amount or when he would appear in court.
The investigation involved cooperation between the Kermit Police Department, Winkler County Sheriff’s Office, and Ward County Sheriff’s Office, with license plate recognition technology helping authorities locate Bowden after the woman’s escape. He now faces two serious felony accusations stemming from the woman’s statements, while further court proceedings will determine the outcome of the case.
Guessing Headlights searched the Winkler County jail records for information but was unable to find additional records. As always, the suspects involved in the case are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.