A man in Texas has been arrested after he allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman who was stranded on the side of the highway after her tire blew out.
Reynaldo Tapia-Arcibar, 31, has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse, according to KEYE-TV.
The victim was driving on a highway near Austin on 16 May when her tire blew out around 1:30am. Mr Tapia-Arcibar allegedly pulled over and offered to drive her to purchase a new tire.
After the two had driven a short distance the victim reportedly asked to be taken back to her car, and even tried to open the door to leave, but the driver had locked it, according to reporting by Law and Crime.
The woman used her phone to send her friend her location around 3:18am asking for help. Minutes after she sent the text, the driver allegedly took her about 10 minutes north of where her tire blew out to an apartment complex parking lot where she was assaulted.
The victim managed to escape from the car and called 911. When cops showed up, the woman was “screaming for help,” and Mr Tapia-Arcibar allegedly fled the scene.
Police returned to the apartment complex approximately seven hours later and spotted Mr Tapia-Arcibar leaving one of the units. He was arrested at that time, KTBC reports.
Under Texas state law, charges of aggravated kidnapping in the first-degree is a felony carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Michael Bullock, the president of the Austin Police Association, told Fox News that people who are awaiting roadside assistance can call their local police to wait alongside them until help arrives.
He also advised anyone calling roadside assistance to ask for the names of the people who will be responding to them as well as the make and model of the vehicle being dispatched.
He also advised people to share their locations with loved ones as soon as they’re in a difficult situation, rather than waiting until they feel as though they’re in danger. Mr Bullock said that police were able to reach the victim within 10 minutes because she was sharing her location when she called for help.
“If someone’s location is being shared, then we’re able to live track where they are, and it's a lot easier for us to get there more quickly," he told Fox News. “What she did is something that's very helpful to us to be able to get there a lot quicker. It's very smart thinking on her part.”
Mr Tapia-Arcibar was booked into the Travis County Jail under a $50,000 bond. If he posts bond, he will be required to wear a GPS ankle tracker and will be barred from having any contact with the alleged victim. His next court hearing is scheduled for 12 June.
