Man in van grabs 18-year-old — then flees when nearby bar patrons yell, CA cops say

A man is accused of attempting to kidnap an 18-year-old woman before witnesses stepped in, California officials said.

The woman was walking past a bar in Chico close to midnight on Aug. 31, when a man and his friend inside the establishment saw her, according to a Sept. 16 news release by the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.

The witnesses were playing pool in the bar, officials said.

They said she seemed intoxicated, so they watched her, officials said.

Then they saw a white van pull up next to her before the driver got out and grabbed her, prosecutors said.

The two struggled, and the woman broke free but fell and hit her head, causing her to appear to be unconscious, officials said.

That’s when the witness shouted at the man, causing him to get back in the van and flee, officials said.

Chico State University officers took care of the woman, and Chico police took over the case, officials said.

After reviewing security footage, they noticed the van had been following the girl down the street for “some time,” the district attorney said.

The suspect was later identified as Jose Alvarado-Rodriguez, officials said.

Alvarado-Rodriguez, 49, was arrested Sept. 12, officials said.

He was arraigned on an attempted kidnapping charge and is being held without bail until his next court appearance Sept. 18, officials said.

Chico is about a 90-mile drive northwest of Sacramento.

This story was originally published September 17, 2024 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Man in van grabs 18-year-old — then flees when nearby bar patrons yell, CA cops say."