Man accused of kidnapping woman drove her around for hours, assaulted her, police say
A man suspected of entering a woman’s car while she was inside it, driving off with her and assaulting her early Saturday in Fort Lauderdale has yet to be found.
The woman and a man were sitting inside the car shortly after 5 a.m., parked in a parking lot in the 100 block of Southwest Third Avenue when the suspect walked up with a gun and demanded the man hand over his belongings, Fort Lauderdale Police said in a news release Monday. The area in downtown is near several bars and clubs.
The male victim ran away, but the woman remained in the car’s passenger seat as the suspect got in and drove away, Casey Liening, a spokesperson for the police department, previously told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The suspect drove the woman around for two hours, stopping at an ATM to try to make her withdraw cash, the police department said. He also sexually assaulted her, police said.
The suspect eventually abandoned the car and the woman. She called 911 about 7:30 a.m. and was found alone inside her then-disabled car on south Interstate 95 near Oakland Park Boulevard, police said.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue took her to Broward Health Medical Center, and she was released later that afternoon.
The suspect police are searching for is described as having short dreads. He was wearing a dark bucket hat, a green shirt with light-colored letters on the front and back, ripped acid wash jeans and sneakers with yellow laces.
Authorities ask anyone Anyone with information to contact Det. Jennifer Saint Jean at 954-828-5570, Det. Jackie Sanchez at 954-828-5539 or submit anonymous tips through Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
