Woman Kidnapped and Molested by Man in Disguise of Help with Her Flat-Tired Car in Austin
Authorities in Texas say a guy who stopped to help a stranded woman with a flat tire sexually attacked and kidnapped her.
Reynaldo Tapia-Arcibar, 31, is currently facing accusations related to an event that occurred on May 16, as reported by the Travis County Jail. These charges include aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse.
According to an affidavit provided by Fox 7 Austin, about 3:30 a.m. that day, a woman called Austin dispatchers “screaming for help” and reported that she had just been sexually assaulted. She informed the authorities that her attacker had deceived her into getting into his “boxy white SUV” after she had waited for assistance in the city’s northeastern area for an hour.
According to the affidavit, Tapia-Arcibar informed the woman that he would accompany her to the tire shop to fix her flat tire, and then “shut the door quickly” after she left.
Instead, he allegedly sexually attacked her in an apartment complex after driving for approximately ten minutes north, as stated in the document. According to what the woman told the police, she had requested to exit the vehicle and attempted to unlock its doors before they arrived at the property.
In the beginning, she couldn’t get away, so she texted a friend to beg for help, according to the affidavit. In order to get out of the man’s vehicle, she contacted 911.
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According to Michael Bullock, president of the Austin Police Association, who spoke to Fox 7, the woman disclosed the location of her smartphone, which allowed the police to arrive at the site ten minutes later.
A man who matched the woman’s description was seen leaving an apartment at the Wildwood Apartments in the 7000 block of Cameron Road seven hours later, and Tapia-Arcibar was arrested.
Speaking about the “tragic” incident, Bullock stated that it was not “something anyone should have to go through.”
He suggested that anyone in need of roadside assistance contact their local police to wait with them until help comes. Additionally, Bullock said that those contacting AAA or similar roadside help services should constantly request the respondent’s name and the vehicle’s model.
The next court date for Tapia-Arcibar is June 12, and she is now being held on $50,000 bond. If he is able to post bond, a judge has ordered him to wear a GPS ankle monitor and prohibit him from having any contact with the woman, according to Law & Crime.
A first-degree crime punishable by life in prison and fines up to $10,000 is aggravated abduction under Texas law.
