Woman Assaulted, Nearly Kidnapped in Amberglen Neighborhood, Hillsboro Police say

HILLSBORO, OR – Hillsboro police on Wednesday arrested a man who allegedly assaulted and tried to kidnap a 20-year-old woman who was walking home from work in the Amberglen neighborhood, according to police spokesman Lt. Henry Reimann.

Hillsboro resident Aaron Gabriel Zoller, 39, was taken to the Washington County Jail and has been charged with fourth degree assault and first degree kidnapping, Reimann said. The victim will remain unidentified at this time, Reimann told Patch Thursday, to allow her some time to recover from what Reimann described as a "traumatic incident."

Around 2:30 p.m. April 26, the unidentified female victim was walking home along Northwest Trailwalk Drive in Northeast Hillsboro when she reportedly walked passed Zoller, who was standing by his truck.

As she passed him, Zoller allegedly grabbed the victim and threw her to the ground, where he then assaulted her, leaving "significant injuries to her face," Reimann said.

The victim reportedly fought back and kept screaming, Reimann said, even when Zoller allegedly told her to get into his truck. After a few moments of struggling, Zoller reportedly let the victim go and drove away from the scene.

Witnesses to the altercation gave Hillsboro police a description of Zoller's truck and license plate number. When officers found him at his home, Zoller reportedly had injuries to his knuckles and blood on his hands, Reimann said.

Zoller's bail is set at $25,000.

When asked what residents might be able to do to protect themselves from incidents like this, Reimann wasn't sure what advice he could offer considering the apparent randomness of the crime.

"People should always be aware of their surroundings," Reimann said, "(But) it's a safe neighborhood … The strange part is that it was in the middle of the day."

Photo Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff’s Office