KEENE, Texas - A Cleburne man has been arrested after authorities say he attempted to force a 15-year-old girl into his vehicle before bystanders intervened and helped the teenager escape.
According to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a 911 call at approximately 1:14 p.m. on July 15 reporting an attempted abduction in the 300 block of Greenbriar in Keene.
Investigators said the 15-year-old girl was walking when an unknown man approached her and attempted to force her toward his vehicle. The teen was able to break free before witnesses confronted the suspect and came to her aid.
The suspect fled the area in his vehicle, while the bystanders safely escorted the juvenile to her home. Authorities said she was not physically injured.
Dispatchers immediately distributed the suspect vehicle's description and used the Flock Safety license plate reader network to search for possible matches. Using the system's Freeform search capability, investigators identified a possible Texas license plate and determined the vehicle had last been detected traveling northbound on Interstate 35W near Hidden Creek Parkway.
Investigators with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Keene Police Department and the STOP Special Crimes Unit worked together to identify the suspected driver and track the vehicle to northwest Fort Worth.
Authorities established surveillance shortly after 5 p.m. and detained the suspect at approximately 7 p.m., less than six hours after the initial emergency call.
The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Carlos Alonso Cuevas-Ruiz of Cleburne.
According to investigators, Cuevas-Ruiz admitted approaching the juvenile but denied intending to abduct her.
He was arrested and charged with criminal attempt kidnapping. His bond was set at $50,000, and he remains in custody at the Johnson County Law Enforcement Center.
Investigators said the case remains active and emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The Johnson County Sheriff's Office credited the rapid identification and arrest to the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and the use of the Flock Safety license plate reader network, which helped investigators quickly identify and locate the suspect's vehicle.
