Enochville woman charged with kidnapping man during house fire

Published 10:03 am Wednesday, December 1, 2021

ENOCHVILLE — A 45-year-old woman faces second-degree kidnapping charges after allegedly forcing a man into a car at gunpoint and making him drive away from the scene of a house fire.

Julie Bass Gourley of Woodcrest Drive in Enochville was arrested Monday on the kidnapping charge and booked into jail with a $10,000 bond. The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office expects to file other charges in connection with the incident.

The victim in the incident, who was living with Gourley, said he woke up when fire alarms sounded at the Woodcrest Drive house. He went to the front door and saw a couch on fire as well as Gourley holding a black handgun, said Maj. John Sifford with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. The victim said he was forced into a car and drove until reaching a QuikTrip gas station on Lane Street. Sifford said the victim was able to exit the car at the gas station and call 911 inside.

Firefighters were called to the scene of the blaze at about 5 a.m. Authorities received the 911 call from the victim about 40 minutes later.

Gourley was found at a nearby Atrium Health Care facility. Kannapolis Police recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun and magazine inside the car.

Sifford said investigators believe Gourley set fire to the couch in the home, which sustained serious damage.