Student reports attempted kidnapping near Corona
HOME GARDENS — Authorities are searching for a man who allegedly attempted to kidnap a student as she walked home from school Friday afternoon, April 12. The incident happened near the City of Corona, in an unincorporated area known as Home Gardens, according to officials.
Friday’s incident was similar to another attempted kidnapping that happened in the same area last October. The victim of last October’s kidnap attempt, which happened less than two miles away in the area of Indiana Ave. and Fillmore St., later told officers she managed to break free from a man after he “lunged toward the student and grabbed her sweatshirt,” officials reported at the time.
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Deputies were first alerted to the most recent attempted kidnapping around 4:30 p.m., after the student reported the incident, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Edward Soto later explained.
Deputies who investigated the incident learned that as the student was walking home from school she walked past a black, older model Toyota sedan that was parked in the area of Buchanan St. and the 91 Freeway overpass.
“The sole male Hispanic occupant caught her attention by whistling and motioning her to his vehicle,” said Soto. “The student walked up to the passenger window at which time the subject asked for directions to the street he was already parked on.”
“Without warning, the subject reached across his front right passenger seat and grabbed the student’s right arm in an attempt to pull her inside of his vehicle,” the Sgt. explained. The victim immediately pulled away from the man, breaking free from his grasp, and ran away from the location.
As she was fleeing, the student looked back and saw the subject quickly drive away in the opposite direction and out of sight.
Last Friday’s reported attempted kidnapping happened less than two miles from another reported kidnap attempt that happened last October.
SEE SIMILAR: Officials investigating after man “lunges at, grabs” student walking to school
The victim described the man as a clean-shaven, 45-50-year-old, Hispanic male. He was wearing an orange-colored t-shirt – as worn by construction workers – and blue jeans. No weapon was seen by the victim.
The sheriff’s investigation is ongoing and officials have asked that anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Deputy Curry at Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number E191050008 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.
I wish the school board would actually do something I have wrote the superintendent on several occasions explaining that many of these students walk two to three miles to school everyday crossing the bridge crossing railroad tracks and that it’s very dangerous and unsafe. Unfortunately nothing has been done to ensure their safety it’s a very sad situation
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