Girl Escapes Abduction Attempt While Jogging With Other Students
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 – updated: 5:19 pm EDT October 7, 2008
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A 13-year-old Daytona Beach girl says she had to fight off a man who tried to grab her while she jogged with her school's track team Tuesday morning.
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"Initially, obviously, very shaken up. She since has reported back to school today and is having a good afternoon," said Mark Tress, Warner Christian Academy.Police in Daytona Beach are looking for the man who reportedly tried to pull a young girl into his car. It happened on the corner of Palmetto and Wilder in Daytona Beach (see map).The 13-year-old was running with her school cross county team, but she was ahead of the group, ahead of her coaches and by herself on the street, when she says the man went after her. The group of runners was from Warner Christian Academy, a school just down the road from where it happened, about a half-mile away in South Daytona.The 13-year-old girl told police at first the man was flirting with her and asked for her phone number. But when she yelled, “No,” he crossed the street to approach her, grabbed her shirt and told her to get into his car, a dark-colored, 4-door with tinted windows."I think he grabbed her shirt. She was able to continue to run and the male jumped in his vehicle," explained Jimmie Flynt, Daytona Beach Police Department.The girl then stopped and waited for her coach, who was with some slower runners in the back of the group.Investigators were talking to the girl at the police station Tuesday and released a sketch of a possible suspect. He's described as a light-skinned black male, approximately 160 pounds and clean shaven and wearing a striped shirt.The area of the attack is a residential area of the city, but also one known for some crime, including a fair amount of prostitution activity this year. The school still plans to have its team run in the morning, but they are looking at new safety ideas, like maybe having runners carry whistles.If you have any information, please contact the Daytona Beach Police Department.
COMPOSITE SKETCH: See Large Image Of Sketch Of SuspectCRIME SECTION: Local Reports, Mug Shots, Neighborhood Watch Info"Initially, obviously, very shaken up. She since has reported back to school today and is having a good afternoon," said Mark Tress, Warner Christian Academy.Police in Daytona Beach are looking for the man who reportedly tried to pull a young girl into his car. It happened on the corner of Palmetto and Wilder in Daytona Beach (see map).The 13-year-old was running with her school cross county team, but she was ahead of the group, ahead of her coaches and by herself on the street, when she says the man went after her. The group of runners was from Warner Christian Academy, a school just down the road from where it happened, about a half-mile away in South Daytona.The 13-year-old girl told police at first the man was flirting with her and asked for her phone number. But when she yelled, “No,” he crossed the street to approach her, grabbed her shirt and told her to get into his car, a dark-colored, 4-door with tinted windows."I think he grabbed her shirt. She was able to continue to run and the male jumped in his vehicle," explained Jimmie Flynt, Daytona Beach Police Department.The girl then stopped and waited for her coach, who was with some slower runners in the back of the group.Investigators were talking to the girl at the police station Tuesday and released a sketch of a possible suspect. He's described as a light-skinned black male, approximately 160 pounds and clean shaven and wearing a striped shirt.The area of the attack is a residential area of the city, but also one known for some crime, including a fair amount of prostitution activity this year. The school still plans to have its team run in the morning, but they are looking at new safety ideas, like maybe having runners carry whistles.If you have any information, please contact the Daytona Beach Police Department.
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