Duluth, Ga. – On what was to be her wedding day, Jennifer Wilbanks wore not a white veil but an orange towel over her head to prevent the media from taking her picture. Instead of being led down the aisle by her father, she was led by police to an airplane that flew the runaway bride home.
Now officials say the 32-year- old woman’s cold feet may have gotten her in hot water. On Sunday, Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter vowed to look into whether she violated the law by falsely reporting a crime to Georgia authorities.
Wilbanks told police she was abducted while jogging Tuesday night but later disclosed she took a cross-country bus trip to Albuquerque to avoid her lavish, 600-guest wedding.
Porter said Wilbanks could face a misdemeanor charge of false report of a crime or a felony charge of false statements. The misdemeanor carries a penalty of up to a year in jail; five years in prison is the maximum sentence for the felony.
“If there’s criminal responsibility, that’s something I have to do something about,” Porter said, adding that no decision would be made Sunday. “I think it’s really going to depend on the circumstances on how this was done.”
Meanwhile, members of Peachtree Corners Baptist Church, where fiancé John Mason is a member, said prayers Sunday and expressed concern for Wilbanks and Mason, who did not attend.
The Rev. Bob Horner thanked members who had helped in the search for Wilbanks and provided support for family members.
“No. 1, we are so thankful that Jennifer has been found,” Horner told the congregation. “No. 2, I want to publicly thank all of you who prayed and you who went to Duluth to be with the family.”
An FBI spokesman said Saturday that Wilbanks apparently made a sudden decision to flee and did not realize hundreds of people were looking for her. But he also noted she cut her hair to avoid being recognized.
Porter said he would speak to police in Albuquerque, where Wilbanks turned up late Friday and called Mason and 911 to report that she had been kidnapped.
Authorities in Albuquerque said they had no plans to charge Wilbanks, though they haven’t ruled out the possibility.
“We don’t have to charge everybody,” Albuquerque police spokeswoman Trish Ahrensfield said. “We have discretion. We are human beings. We have feelings, and we are professional at the same time.”
By all accounts, authorities in Albuquerque befriended the woman.
Wilbanks boarded her plane wearing an FBI hat, blazer, polo shirt and pants and carrying a tote bag and teddy bear, a gift from the local airport police chief. She flew first class and said she planned to name the bear “Al,” for Albuquerque.
After she disappeared last week without her keys, wallet or diamond ring, more than 100 Georgia officers led a search that involved several hundred volunteers, including many wedding guests and members of the bridal party.
