PASADENA >> A Pasadena woman fought her way free from a would-be kidnapper who forced her into his SUV late Friday, police said.
A Pasadena woman in her early-20s was walking home about 10 p.m. along Marengo Avenue, near Penn Street, when the man drove up alongside her, Pasadena police Lt. Jesse Carrillo said.
The man tried to start a conversation with the woman, but she ignored him and continued walking, Carrillo said. The suspect stopped his SUV next to the woman and got out.
“He approached her and physically forced her into the front passenger seat,” police said in a written statement. The suspect then got back into the driver seat of the vehicle.
“In her efforts to escape, the victim struck the suspect once in the face and once in the groin area and managed to exit the vehicle,” according to the police statement. “The suspect then drove away north and out of sight.”
The woman suffered what appeared to be only scratches in the incident, Carrillo said.
Police described the suspect as a black man in his late-30s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 200 pounds. He was bald, of medium complexion, clean-shaven and wore a white T-shirt and dark blue jeans. He drove a newer-model, gray SUV, similar to a Honda CRV.
Investigators were not aware of any similar incident reported in the area recently, Carrillo said.
Police hoped to develop a suspect sketch as they continued their investigation Saturday, he added.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241.
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