Good Samaritan Saves Woman From Kidnapper in San Leandro

SAN LEANDRO, CA — A woman was pepper-sprayed, knocked down and dragged to a car while she was walking to work in San Leandro this morning but saved from abduction by a passerby who fought off the suspect, police said.

Police investigators released a sketch of the suspect today and are asking for help tracking him down.

The 23-year-old woman was walking to work at about 7:45 a.m. in the 14700 block of Washington Avenue when the suspect emerged from between two parked cars and pepper sprayed her, blinding her. He knocked her down and started dragging her to a silver Nissan. A man walking by stopped and tried to help her and the suspect also pepper-sprayed him.

But the man kept a grip on the suspect despite being continually pepper-sprayed. Eventually the suspect broke free and fled in the Nissan, police said.

Police arrived and the man and woman were both treated for their exposure to the pepper spray.

Witnesses described the suspect as a black man between 25 and 40 years old standing about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing between 165 and 185 pounds, according to police. He has short curly black afro-style hair and a full goatee.

At the time of the abduction attempt he was wearing thin-framed glasses, a collared shirt, a black sweater with a white stripe around the center, black pants and black shoes, police said. He was driving a newer silver Nissan 4-door sedan with silver spoke wheels and tinted rear windows.

Police have not determined the motive for the attack. The woman does not know the suspect so the reason she was targeted is unclear. Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect has been asked to call Detective Steve Cesaretti at (510) 577-3239.

— Bay City News; Image via San Leandro Police