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Woman fights off attempted kidnapping in Roy park, films suspect to help police make arrest

Posted at 9:45 PM, Aug 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-26 23:46:43-04

ROY, Utah -- Police arrested a man in Roy Saturday after they said he attempting to kidnap and assault a woman, who fought the suspect off and screamed for help.

Detective Josh Taylor with Roy City Police said between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. as the woman walked on a trail next to West Park near 4700 S 2700 W, a man came up from behind the woman, covered her mouth and began to drag her toward bushes nearby.

"She immediately starts fighting," Det. Taylor said. "Once she gets his hand off of her mouth, she's able to scream which scares him away." The man ran away.

He said the woman then called her husband, who picked her up and they drove around the area. They spotted the suspect, and Det. Taylor said they took video of the man without confronting him. The couple alerted police.

"[The woman] gives us a good description of him, and lets us know what he looks like and where to go," he said. An affidavit of probable cause said officers spotted a suspect matching the description and wearing the same clothing as the man in the video, at the nearby Midland Elementary School.

That man--later identified by police as Jorge Nieto, 21--told police that he had been drinking earlier that day, and decided to go for a run.

During the police interview, Det. Taylor said Nieto told them, he "'Had a moment of weakness,' decided he was going to grab her but didn't elaborate on what his plans were after that."

Nieto told police he had "bad thoughts," and stated he wanted to touch the woman inappropriately, the affidavit said.

Officers booked Nieto into the Weber County Jail on one count of kidnapping as a second-degree felony. Det. Taylor said Nieto has just moved to the Roy area a few months prior, though he didn't know where from.

West Park is popular for families. On Monday evening, kids' teams gathered for baseball and soccer games, while other children ran around the playground. Parents and children walked and biked along the trail.

Parents there said the incident's a reminder to talk to their children about safety, as well as make sure they as parents are staying vigilant and taking appropriate steps to stay safe.

Police said the woman carried her cell phone on her, and made sure to make noise to alert those in the area that she was in trouble. They also recommend walking with another person.