GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY— A suspect has been arrested after what police say was an attempted abduction.
The incident started at around 8:30 Sunday morning after a call came in to 9-1-1 about a woman who was assaulted at the Meijer gas station on US-31 in Traverse City.
Michigan State Police say a suspect was arrested after stopping his car at Chums Corner, and he was taken to the Grand Traverse County jail.
Police say the suspect in the case is a 51-year-old man from Benzie County, and the victim is a 21-year-old woman from Florida.
Detectives from the Michigan State Police are handling the investigation.
“This case is still ongoing,” said Ashley Miller, spokesperson for the State Police 7th district. “It was a physical attempted abduction.”
The assault happened in broad daylight at a popular gas station, with other drivers who were able to help.
“There were witnesses on scene that assisted the victim in calling 911,” Miller said.
Those same bystanders were able to help police identify the suspect when he was caught several miles down the road at Chum’s Corner.
“(Law Enforcement) located the suspect vehicle, conducted a traffic stop, and took the suspect into custody,” Miller said.
Detectives describe the incident as a random attack.
“It’s not human trafficking,” Miller said. “It’s an attempted abduction that we’re investigating. This was a random act; the suspect and victim did not know each other.”
In the wake of the incident, law enforcement is reminding the public to be aware of their surroundings.
That’s important advice for people, whether they are a victim or a witness, and they point to the bystanders who stepped in to help a woman avoid abduction and helped police find the suspect.
“It’s time to just think about, okay, this could happen anywhere,” Miller said. “What am I going to do in this situation, and kind of play that through your head? So having your cell phone handy, being able to recite license plates, if you see it at first glance. Can you remember that? Do you have a pen and paper to write that down?
The suspect is set to be arraigned tomorrow. Northern Michigan’s news leader will follow details from the case as they come out, both on air and here online.
If you have any footage of the event, please reach out to the Michigan State Police Traverse City post at 231-938-0714