Woman escapes from captor a year after abduction

(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - A woman, abducted nearly a year ago, is now free after making a dramatic escape from her alleged kidnapper.

Authorities say the woman managed to escape by running into a gas station in New Jersey.

Those dramatic moments were all caught on video.

It was a dramatic end, to what police describe, as a nearly year-long cross-country kidnapping.

The woman, seen running into a New Jersey service station in early February, is escaping her suspected captor close behind her; a man later identified as James Parrillo Jr.

Relationship taking a violent turn

The year-long ordeal started in New Mexico where the couple first met last February.

The woman says she agreed to give Parillo a ride to Arizona.

They eventually made their way to California where she says their relationship took a violent turn.

That's where police say, Parillo physically assaulted the woman, taking away her phone and debit cards.

"Year-long nightmare"

Eventually, the pair made their way cross country, in what New Jersey State Police describe, as a "year-long nightmare."

Cameras inside the store captured the moment the bare-footed woman deadbolting the door, preventing her alleged kidnapper from entering.

"All you could hear is screaming like, 'I've been kidnapped.'"

Bobby Madaan is the owner of the service station. He remembers the frantic look of the woman desperate to get away.

"The lady was really scared, like she was really scared. She's looking at the back wall in the office, thinking that he's gonna come through the back door, or breaking the wall to come in. So I told her, I just reassured her that 'You're fine. You're safe. The store's locked. Nobody's coming in and the police [are] on their way.' And uh she just kept repeating that, 'He's kept me against my will.' And eventually the state troopers did get there," Madaan further spoke.

New Jersey State Police are looking into the possibility that Parillo may have held other women against their will in the past. He's already been charged with kidnapping and aggravated assault in connection with what was a heroic escape, according to police.

CNN has reached out to an attorney listed for Parrillo and has not yet received a response.