http://www.sun-herald.com/CHNewsstory.cfm?pubdate=012308&story=tp2ch5.htm&folder=NewsArchive2
As she drove south on U.S. 41 from North Port Thursday evening, Janet Kowalski heard a woman scream "like she never heard before." The scream came from a woman in the back of a car next to hers, a woman who was pounding on the window, trying to escape.
From that moment, Kowalski did everything she could to save the woman's life, a North Port Police report indicates.
She called 9-1-1 on her cell phone while trying to get the man driving the other car to pass her. Meanwhile, Kowalski told the dispatcher the name of each side street they passed as the two cars headed south, according to the police report.
What the report does not detail is what Charlotte County Sheriff's deputies did in response.
Both Charlotte and North Port officers were on the lookout for the suspect. And the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office had dispatched a helicopter to assist in the search.
Charlotte County Sheriff John Davenport responded to a request for an interview about his agency's response to the Kowalski 9-1-1 call by issuing a terse statement.
"The Sheriff's Office is looking into the entire case and evaluating all of our responsibilities, so we won't comment on anything until the North Port Police Department does," Davenport said Monday. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Just 16 minutes later, at 6:30 p.m., Kowalski called 9-1-1 as she drove south on U.S. 41 near Cranberry Boulevard, which is near the Charlotte County line.
After making eye contact with the driver of the car next to hers, Kowalski reported hearing "screaming like she never heard before coming from within the vehicle," states North Port Police Detective Chris Morales in an affidavit.
Kowalski also saw a woman's hand slap the passenger window as if attempting to break out. But the driver kept pushing her down, states the report.
Kowalski slowed down, hoping to get the suspect's vehicle to pass hers so she could get the license plate number, the report states.
Finally, the suspect's vehicle turned east on Toledo Blade from the center lane of U.S. 41.
Sooooooooo - now we are up to three woman that were this close to saving Denise. The cousin's daughter that called 911, this woman, and Denise herself.
