Security footage of a West Penscola bus stop shows a man tearing out of his car to grab an 11-year-old girl Tuesday morning. She managed to fend off the knife-wielding attacker, who was later found and arrested.
According to Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons, the man had approached the girl several weeks earlier and the interaction made her feel so uncomfortable that she reported it to her school and her parents. Her mother had since walked her to the bus every day; Tuesday's abduction attempt was the first day mom let her go alone.
"Luckily, she fights," Simmons told ABC News. "When I say fights, she struggles. She went limp, she's kicking, she's pushing, she's punching. And she's able to get free."
Jared Paul Stanga, 30, was traced through his vehicle, a white SUV easily seen in the footage. Stanga was charged with attempted kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated assault and battery.
