Deputies: Man Tried to Kidnap 9 Year old Girl

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Lexington County Sheriff‘s Department detectives are seeking help from citizens in identifying a man they say attempted to kidnap a 9-year-old girl at about 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 6 while the girl played with friends outside her residence at a mobile home park on Charleston Highway near West Columbia. Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said the man stopped his motor vehicle, exited the vehicle and grabbed the 9-year-old girl in order to try to pull the girl inside his vehicle. A friend of the 9-year-old girl began screaming when the man grabbed the 9-year-old girl, Metts said. The man then let go of the 9-year-old girl, entered his motor vehicle and drove away. Witnesses told deputies the man was in his 30s or 40s, Metts said. Witnesses told deputies that the man was either white or Hispanic, with lightly colored skin. The man was between 5-foot-10 and 6-foot and weighed between 170 pounds and 190 pounds. The man had dark hair, with a crew-cut haircut. At the time of the attempted kidnapping, witnesses told deputies that it appeared that the man had not shaven recently, Metts said. The man was wearing eyeglasses or reading glasses. The man also was wearing a black jacket and dark colored blue jeans. Witnesses told deputies that the man was driving a four-door, older model sedan that was gray or blue, Metts said. The front driver‘s side window of the sedan had tape on it, possibly indicating that the window might be damaged. The paint on the body of the sedan appeared to be chipped or faded. The vehicle‘s rear passenger seat was packed full with boxes and other items. If you have information you are asked to contact Crime Stoppers.