Modesto man accused of kidnapping a woman to get a ride to Walmart
A Modesto man was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Wednesday for allegedly threatening a woman with a knife to get a ride to Walmart in Ceres.
The suspect approached the 19-year-old woman from El Paso, Texas, at an am/pm at Hatch Road and Richland Avenue around 4 p.m. and asked her for a ride, according to a press release from the Ceres Police Department.
The victim told him no, went inside the store to pay for gas, then returned and fueled up her vehicle.
When she was done, the suspect again approached her, this time brandishing a knife, according to the press release.
He demanded she drive him to the Walmart on Mitchell Road, just under two miles away.
Out of fear, the victim gave the suspect a ride, dropped him off at Walmart, then immediately left the area and called police.
Officers found the suspect, Jason Reeves Lopez, later that evening, not far from the Walmart. He was formally charged Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment. He is being held on $100,000 bail.
This story was originally published October 16, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
