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Man Steps Out of Bushes, Tries to Kidnap Jogger After Following Her in His Truck

Police are asking anyone who recognizes the truck or the man's description to call Moreno Valley police.

A woman escaped the grasp of a man who stepped out of bushes and tried to kidnap her while she was jogging in Moreno Valley Thursday evening.

The 25-year-old woman was jogging about 7:15 p.m. when she noticed she was being followed by a man driving a dark green and tan pickup truck, Moreno Valley police said in a statement.

"I saw him pass me three times in a truck," the woman, who wanted to be identified only as Gabrielle, told NBC4.

Soon after, she saw the same truck parked at the intersection of Hidden Springs Drive and Mountain View Road. As she passed the parked truck, the driver "stepped out of nearby bushes" before he tried to carry the woman toward his truck, according to the Moreno Valley Police Department.

"He like leaps in front of my way and that's when he tackles at my legs," Gabrielle said. "I just remember screaming."

Her brother was too far away to help.

"As soon as I just saw him tackling me at my feet that's where I just dropped my dead weight," she said. ""That's hen I grabbed my elbow and I just popped him on his back a few times and as I'm doing that he comes off me so I'm able to run backwards."

When the woman got away from him, he sped off in his truck and she was able to call 911.

The man was described as being about 38 to 45-years-old, 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, with short dark colored hair and "facial stubble," police noted.

Surveillance video of the vehicle driving in Moreno Valley confirmed he was driving a two-tone dark green and tan mid-1990's Ford F-150 regular cab pickup truck that was carrying a large piece of furniture in the truck bed.

Gabrielle says what happened to her should serve as a warning for joggers.

"Have a partner like run with somebody," she said.

Anyone with information about the attempted kidnapping, or who recognizes the description of the man or the pickup truck was urged to call 951-776-1099.

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