By Khalida Sarwari
Police looking for a man who tried to kidnap a 17-year-old girl near a Los Gatos trail last Sunday have released a sketch of the suspect.
The attempted kidnapping occurred at about 4:20 p.m. on Lark Avenue near the Los Gatos Creek Trail, according to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.
The victim was walking west on the north side of the street from the trail when a dark brown car slowed down next to her and the driver offered to give her a ride, police said.
The girl declined the offer and continued walking, but the driver stopped his car on the curb ahead of her, exited the car and opened the passenger door, according to police.
He then walked up to the girl, grabbed her arm and bent down in an attempt to lift her, but she pulled away and punched him in the face and kneed him in the groin, police said.
The impact caused the suspect to release his grip on the girl, and she was able to escape. The suspect returned to his car and drove west on Lark Avenue toward Winchester Boulevard.
The suspect was described as a Hispanic man in his mid 40s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 150 pounds with a stocky build. He was clean-shaven and had black medium-length hair that was slicked back. The suspect was wearing a red T-shirt with a large circular logo on the front and dirty blue jeans with paint splatters on them.
The car he was driving was a small sedan, hatchback or station wagon with tinted rear passenger windows and a manual transmission. It may have been a mid-80s Volkswagen Jetta or similar-looking vehicle. The car had several large areas that were painted dark blue or black and it appeared that the paint was being used to cover areas that were rusting.
Police continue to investigate the case and have received many tips from the public, particularly about the suspect’s car used during the attack.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Kevin Elliott at (408) 827-3211.
