Two men arrested in alleged kidnapping attempt

Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department on July 28 arrested two men wanted for allegedly kidnapping a teenage girl in Encinitas two days prior.

A pursuit of a truck matching the suspect vehicle — an older model blue pickup truck — in the 1400 block of Summit Avenue at about 11 a.m. led to the arrest of one suspect, Christopher White, according to a news release from the sheriff’s department.

White, 27, was positively identified as a suspect in the alleged abduction. He matched a facial composite and was arrested, authorities said.

Detectives continued investigating and identified Jeremiah Owens, 28, as the second suspect. Owens was taken, without incident, by the Regional Fugitive Task Force at his home in Escondido at about 6:40 p.m., authorities said.

The alleged kidnapping occurred at about 5:30 p.m. July 26 in the 1600 block of Neptune Avenue, according to the news release.

The 15-year-old girl told deputies that she was waxing her surfboard in her home’s driveway when a man, later identified as White, came up from behind her and pinned her to the ground.

She then said White tried to drag her toward a pickup truck with another man, later identified as Owens, waiting inside on Grandview Street, according to the news release.

The girl was able to fight back and run inside her home uninjured, the sheriff’s department said.

Both White and Owens were booked in Vista Jail and are facing charges of kidnapping with the intent to commit rape, false imprisonment, assault with the intent to commit rape and conspiracy.

Sheriff Bill Gore said in the news release the response from the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station, the media and the public “led to a quick arrest in this case.”