A Colorado woman who stopped to help a crash victim was kidnapped at gunpoint and held captive in her own vehicle for four hours in a terrifying ordeal that ended with a high-speed police chase across two counties. The suspect, 29-year-old Shane McSwane, will spend more than two decades behind bars after pleading guilty to kidnapping and attempted aggravated robbery.

Act of Kindness Turns Into Nightmare

Grace Dotson witnessed a car crash in Aurora on May 25, 2025, and approached the scene to offer assistance. Instead of finding someone in need, she encountered McSwane, who immediately pulled a gun and forced her into her own vehicle. For the next four hours, McSwane drove erratically in multiple directions along Interstate 25 while Dotson remained terrified in her own car. During the ordeal, McSwane occasionally allowed Dotson to answer phone calls from her worried family members, who desperately tried to locate her.

The kidnapping took a dangerous turn when McSwane stopped at a gas station in Colorado City. Inside the store, he threatened to shoot a clerk while demanding a lighter. The confrontation at the gas station triggered the law enforcement response that would ultimately lead to Dotson’s rescue. Authorities later revealed that McSwane had touched Dotson inappropriately during the four-hour kidnapping, though sexual contact charges were dropped as part of his plea agreement.

Multi-County Police Chase Ends Ordeal

Deputies from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office responded to the gas station and identified the vehicle as the one reported in the carjacking. When officers spotted the vehicle on Interstate 25 and attempted a traffic stop, McSwane fled southbound at high speed. The pursuit crossed into Huerfano County, where deputies deployed spike strips that punctured the tires on Dotson’s vehicle. Even with deflated tires, McSwane continued driving for several more miles before deputies executed a PIT maneuver while Huerfano County officers boxed him in, forcing him to stop.

Justice Delivered, Victim Safe

On June 12, McSwane pleaded guilty to kidnapping and attempted aggravated robbery. A judge immediately sentenced him to two consecutive 13-year sentences, totaling 26 years. Under Colorado law, McSwane must serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, meaning he will spend at least 22.1 years behind bars. Both Dotson and the gas station clerk emerged physically unharmed from their encounters with McSwane. The Pueblo County District Attorney’s Office expressed relief at the outcome, stating they were profoundly grateful Dotson survived and thanking law enforcement partners for their heroic efforts in rescuing her.