A man is under arrest and a 14-year-old girl recovering from the shock of an alleged abduction attempt in the rural Cariboo.
Walter Earl Grinder, 55, has now been charged with kidnapping.
According to police, the girl (her name was not disclosed) was listening to her iPod while walking down Domas Squinas Road in the Anahim Lake community of Ulkatcho Reserve (west of Williams Lake). A vehicle approached.
"Two males pulled up beside her and invited her to drink with them," said North District RCMP spokeswoman Const. Lesley Smith, outlining the allegations. "The driver then reportedly grabbed the female by the wrist but the victim fought back and was able to free herself. The victim ran from the area but was followed by the male in his vehicle."
It was just after 6 p.m. on Jan. 12 when the alleged incident occurred.
"She thought she knew who was calling her over, but once she got close up she realized she wasn't in the company of whom she first thought, and that's when he tried to grab her," said Smith. "She then fought the attempt and ran for help. When she realized the suspect may not be giving up, she made her way to a convenience store and told her story to people at the store and called police from there. Someone inside the store helped locate the suspect vehicle. RCMP were in the area quickly and did locate the vehicle, which is when the occupants of the vehicle were detained."
There were three occupants in the vehicle when police closed in. Only Grinder was charged. While the court proceedings are underway, Grinder is not held in custody but does have to live by 11 strict court conditions.
"Of those conditions, two are that he be removed from the community as he is a resident there and so is the alleged victim, and that he is to have no contact with youth under the age of 16," said Smith.
Of the victim in this alleged incident, Smith said police were supportive of her initiative.
"We applaud the strength and the quick thinking of the young female victim who recognized she was allegedly being put in a precarious situation."
Pedestrians are urged to boost their personal safety by only listening to portable music players with one ear bud in place, or the music played at a low level so you can still be aware of your surroundings.
