Kidnapping foiled because abductor couldn't drive a manual stick shift

SUMTER, SC -- Police say a kidnapping in South Carolina was thwarted because the would-be abductor couldn't operate a manual stick shift in the victim's car.

The Sumter County sheriff's office said in a news release that Demetric Jerod Nelson, 27, still had his victim's keys in his pocket when he was arrested Tuesday, several hours after the kidnapping attempt.

Deputies say Nelson broke into a 53-year-old woman's home and demanded money. He then forced her to drive him to another location four miles away, The State newspaper reports. Nelson then told the woman to get into the trunk of her car.

Authorities say Nelson then tried to drive off, but he couldn't figure out how to operate the car because of the manual transmission. The woman waited for a while before using the emergency trunk latch to escape and flag down deputies for help.

Deputies later arrested Nelson after a search and charged him with kidnapping and armed robbery. It wasn't known if he had an attorney.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.