Waycross woman lives to tell horrific tale

Woman survived being shot and stuffed in her car trunk

WAYCROSS, GA. – After being shot twice in the chest and neck and then locked in the trunk of her car, Sandra Williams, 54, used her cellphone to call 911 and her family, then managed to escape.

It happened in Waycross, Georgia. last week after Williams said she was giving two of her co-workers a ride home and one of those coworkers, Leon Pugh, 41, turned violent.

Police said Pugh shot and killed Timothy Williams, a father of three, then put Sandra Williams in the trunk of her own car, shot her and locked her inside.

Police arrested Pugh, charging him with murder and aggravated assault.

Sandra Williams is out of the hospital.

It's an incredible story of survival with so many people in Waycross amazed that she's here today.

Williams said it's all thanks to God and she had faith in Him the entire time, no matter how grim it seemed.

"I was not ready to die. I wanted to live. And I asked the Lord to please help me and he did," Sandra Williams said.

She was bleeding and weak, but Sandra Williams found the strength to reach for her phone and call for help.

Dispatcher: "Ware County 911"
Sandra Williams:  "I've been shot in the trunk of my car. My name is Sandra Williams."
Dispatcher:  "Where you at ma'am?"
Sandra Williams:  "He shot me."
Dispatcher:  "Who shot you ma'am? Ma'am, who shot you? Ma'am, who shot you?"

Sandra Williams' family joined dozens of officers as they searched into the night for her. 

Rescuers couldn't find her, but a dispatcher told her there was an emergency release cord in the trunk that Williams found with the help of a lighter.

"The cord said to grasp and pull, and that is exactly what I did. In the trunk it went click and that was the best thing in the world. It just opened up and I fell out of the trunk. And I got up and started walking," Sandra Williams said.

Williams stumbled out of the woods, finding a road with a car driving in her direction and with it, safety.

"And that is when I saw the truck coming. My son was coming down the road and he told me to get in. And that's the last thing I remember until I woke up in Jacksonville. And that was the happiest feeling in the world," Sandra Williams said.

She said she had no idea of any motive for the crime.

Sandra Williams says she was friends with both Pugh and Timothy Williams and she'll forever miss Timothy because he was one of her best friends.

And as for Pugh, the man accused of causing Sandra Williams so much pain?

"He needs prayers, he needs help. I'm living, he's gonna live too, but he needs help. And I can forgive him. I can truly forgive this man," Sandra Williams said.

Though she is in great spirits, Sandra Williams has a tough road ahead of her. Her medical bills are huge, she has a lot of doctor's appointments ahead of her and she's not going to be able to get back to work for a very long time.

To make matters worse, Sandra Williams lost her car because of what happened.

Her family has set up a donation account to raise money for her, and anyone interested in helping can visit http://gofundme.com/sandrawilliams.