NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – The New Braunfels Police Department has issued a public safety advisory after two attempted kidnappings.
"Nobody would like to have somebody hop into their car with a gun and demand they be driven somewhere," said David Ferguson, New Braunfels Police spokesman.
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The first attempted kidnapping occurred on Saturday just after 1:30 p.m. The victim told police he was in the 800 block of West San Antonio Street when the man got into his car, displayed a gun and told the victim to keep driving. The man got out of the victim’s car near Interstate 35 and was seen running away toward Ruekle Road.
The suspect in this incident was described as a white or Hispanic man, between 5 foot 8 inches and 5 foot 10 inches, with a thin build, gray hair and approximately 40-50 years old. He was wearing a red jacket with blue jean shorts and dirty gray tennis shoes and a black bandanna on his head.
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The second incident was reported around 4 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of South Kowald Lane. The victim told police she was driving when an unknown man flagged her down, got in her car, showed a gun and demanded she drive him to Houston.
The victim drove around rural Guadalupe County for two hours before she was able to stab the man in the leg. She got out of her car and ran to a nearby business.
"I'm sure she was very, very desperate," said Alvin Seiler, owner of the Barbarosa Trough, one of the few businesses along a remote farm road.
"She was very upset, in other words, scared."
He said the woman called 911, triggering an air and ground search of the area that ended with no sign of the suspect.
Seiler said even so, "I don't know what she would have done if I hadn't been open."
She described the man as white, with a thin build, clean shaven, possibly in his 30s, approximately 6 feet tall, with green eyes. She said he was wearing a black bandanna covering his forehead and he was wearing a red hoodie.
Investigators advise drivers not to stop for anyone they do not know, especially if the person matches this man's description of the man.
Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is asked to call New Braunfels police or Comal County Crime Stoppers. Comal County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000. To contact the New Braunfels Police Department directly about the identity of the suspect, call 830-221-4100.