Woman jogging on Jay Blanchard Trail fights off would-be kidnapper, deputies say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County deputies are looking for a man they said tried to kidnap a woman Tuesday as she jogged on Jay Blanchard Trail.

Deputies said the victim was running at 11:30 a.m. on the west side of Dean Road when a man in a silver sedan pulled up beside her, got out of the passenger side and grabbed the woman by the arm.

The victim told deputies he began to pull her toward the vehicle, but she was able to pull away from his grip as she screamed and fought.

Deputies released a composite sketch of the suspect.

He was described as a white man, possibly between 50 and 60 years old, with salt and pepper hair and a scruffy beard.

Jogger John Lien couldn't believe something like that could happen in broad daylight.

"It should be safe in the middle of the day," he said. "I mean, in the middle of the day, I never would have thought of anything."

Lien runs on Jay Blanchard Trail several times a week and often sees women, families and elderly people using it during the time the victim said the incident happened.

Geri James said the attempted kidnapping wouldn't stop her from using the trail, but it has made her wary.

"It's really scary," she said. "Yeah, it'll make me think, but it's not going to stop me from running.

"I usually run with a weapon that I carry. It's called a ninja spike. It's really light but I've never had to use it, thankfully."

The area around trail has seen violent crime before.

In 2008, Nicole Ganguzza, a 26-year-old University of Central Florida graduate student, was dragged into the woods and killed.

Lien hoped that the community would not have to deal with something like that again.

"I remember that," he said. "To me, that really hurt me hard back then.

"Whoever is doing this, they need to get him."

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimeline at 800-423-8477.

A reward of up to $1,000 is available for tips that lead to an arrest.

Cox Media Group