Man From Nearby Watsonville Arrested For Allegedly Holding UCSC Hitchhiker Against Her Will

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – A man who allegedly kept a University of California at Santa Cruz student against her will in his car early Thursday morning was arrested later that night, campus police said today.

Jose Calderon Ortiz, 28, of Watsonville, is believed to be the driver who gave the hitchhiking student a ride from a bus stop at the school's Kresge College at Heller and McLaughlin drives 12:45 a.m. Thursday,
police said.

Ortiz allegedly didn't pull over when he reached the base of campus at High Street and Bay Drive, where the student wanted to leave, according to police.

He headed down Bay Drive for a mile, ignoring the student's requests to pull over and stop, according to police.

The victim fled from the car as the driver slowed down to turn on Mission Street and didn't stop. The student suffered minor injuries in the escape, according to police.

The 28-year-old man was believed to be under the influence and smoking marijuana during the trip, police said.

The suspect's vehicle was described Thursday as a newer-model, four-door sedan that was dark gray or silver with red paper license plates from a Watsonville car dealership, police said.

Investigators received tips that helped them identify Ortiz as the suspect and arrested him around 9 p.m. with help from the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, according to police.

The suspect was pulled over during a traffic stop to check if he was following his probation, according to police.

He was arrested and his vehicle was impounded, police said.

Ortiz was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment and probation violation, according to online county jail records.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call campus police at (831) 459-2231, ext. 1.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Shutterstock image