A suspect in an alleged kidnapping attempt in Clark County received more than he bargained for when an 11-year-old girl kicked him in the groin and fled.
According to court documents, Jerson Hartman, 31, of Twin Falls, Idaho, was wearing a ski mask when he reportedly attempted to seize the girl at 5:30 p.m. on December 15 in a Vancouver residential neighborhood. The girl kicked him in the groin and sprinted away.
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Officers spoke with the girl, who revealed that she was playing soccer with her friends when she lost contact with them. According to the probable cause affidavit, she spotted Hartman approaching toward her, which made her feel “uncomfortable.”
Hartman then allegedly grabbed the girl by the elbow and said, “Come here, little girl,” before taking her cellphone from her hand. According to the affidavit, the girl was able to pull away from Hartman, slip out of his hands, and yell that she was being kidnapped.
“Shut up,” Hartman said, according to court records.
The girl then kicked Hartman in the crotch, took her phone, and rushed to a friend’s residence. She informed officers that she believed Hartman was going to abduct her.
“Yes, I thought he was going to take me away,” she stated in her declaration.
According to court records, officers arrested Hartman after discovering a “white crystallized substance” in his possession, which ultimately tested positive for methamphetamine.
Hartman is facing several criminal counts, including attempted kidnapping, robbery, and possession of a controlled narcotic. He is expected to appear in court on January 20.
