[symple_googlemap title=”” location=”1800 block of South Greenville Street, Santa Ana, CA” height=”300″ zoom=”13″]
A 21-year-old man who attempted to pull a 16-year-old high school girl into his car was arrested in Santa Ana Thursday, police said.
Officers arrested Jesus Edu Bahena of Santa Ana about 1:45 p.m. near Valley High School in the 1800 block of South Greenville Street, according to the Santa Ana School Police Department.
Bahena is suspected of driving alongside the victim and another girl on Center Street in the area of McFadden Avenue on Monday as the girls walked home from the high school and demanding that the victim get into his car, said Santa Ana school police Lt. Mark Van Holt.
“The victim and her friend could see that there were two other male occupants in the vehicle,” Van Holt said.
“The suspect continued to yell profanities at both girls, trying to convince the victim to get in his car. Both girls refused and they continued walking home. At that point, the suspect vehicle drove away.”
The vehicle returned a short time later and the suspect, now alone, parked next to where the two girls were walking on the sidewalk, got out and confronted the girls, demanding that the 16-year-old girl get into his car, Van Holt said.
The girl refused, but Bahena allegedly grabbed her and tried to force her into his vehicle, Van Holt said.
“During the struggle, the suspect began kissing the victim on her face and lips,” Van Holt said. “The victim struggled to break free. The female victim eventually was able to kick the suspect hard enough to break free. Both girls ran from the scene and took shelter in a local church.”
School police arrested Bahena today after learning that he was parked near Valley High School, Van Holt said.
“Responding officers located the vehicle leaving the area and a stop was made on the suspect vehicle,” he said.
The victim positively identified Bahena, who was booked on suspicion of sexual battery and attempted kidnapping, Van Holt said.
Bahena has an arrest record, Van Holt said, but details of his past encounters with law enforcement were not made available.
— City News Service