Alpharetta test drive turns criminal: Man arrested for kidnapping employee
Barinuadum Bariyiga, Courtesy of Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office says a man is facing multiple charges after allegedly taking a 26-year-old female dealership employee on an unauthorized ride in a loaner vehicle and refusing to let her leave.
What we know:
It happened on May 2 at RBM of Atlanta, a Mercedes-Benz dealership. According to investigators, a man asked a service advisor to demonstrate features of a loaner car. Once she got inside the vehicle, police say he drove off with her inside—against her will.
The victim told officers the man, later identified as Barinuadum Bariyiga, ignored repeated requests to return to the dealership, instead driving toward North Point Mall. Along the way, she said he asked personal and inappropriate questions, made suggestive comments, and implied he was taking her either to lunch or to his home. Additionally, he called himself from her phone so she could save his number.
What they're saying:
According to police, he later returned to the dealership, but intentionally missed several turns before finally pulling in. The employee was unharmed but shaken.
While officers were gathering information, the suspect returned to the service area and attempted to leave with a child in a car seat. Police say he appeared nervous and tried to resist arrest. He was eventually taken into custody after a brief struggle and is now facing charges including kidnapping, false imprisonment, and obstruction.
What we don't know:
Police did not release any additional information about the child with the suspect, including age or current status.
What's next:
The investigation is ongoing, and police say body camera footage and GPS tracking data have been collected as evidence. The accused is expected to appear in court.