Photo: Austin Police Department
A Texas woman was kidnapped and sexually assaulted after she became stranded on the side of the road with a blown tire. The Austin Police Department said the victim was driving around 1:30 a.m. when her tire blew out. She pulled over and contacted roadside assistance for help.
After waiting for about an hour, a white SUV pulled up. The suspect, 31-year-old Reynaldo Tapia-Arcibar, got out of the vehicle and offered to help the woman. He convinced her to get into his car and said he would drive her to get a new tire. However, once they were in the car, he locked the doors and drove her to an apartment complex about ten minutes away.
The woman told police that Tapia-Arcibar sexually assaulted her in the parking lot before she was able to escape.
While the victim wasn't sure where she was, police were able to reach her within ten minutes using the GPS on her phone.
"If someone's location is being shared, then we're able to live track where they are, and it's a lot easier for us to get there more quickly," Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock told KTBC. "What she did is something that's very helpful to us to be able to get there a lot quicker. It's very smart thinking on her part."
Tapia-Arcibar had fled the scene, but officers located him about seven hours later as he left the apartment complex. He was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse.