Suspect Held in Alleged Kidnap, Assault on Girl

A Sylmar man allegedly kidnapped and sexually battered a 14-year-old girl on her way to school, a sheriff’s deputy said Wednesday.

Carlos Martinez Gomez, 21, allegedly forced the Newhall student into his car as she walked to William S. Hart High School Tuesday morning, said Deputy Cortland Myers.

According to authorities, Martinez, an acquaintance of the girl’s family, approached her about 7:30 a.m. near the school at Newhall Avenue and 15th Street.

“Martinez said he wanted to talk to her about something and she didn’t want to go with him, and that’s when he grabbed her,” Myers said.

Martinez allegedly drove the girl, a ninth-grader, to Sylmar, where he fondled her and attempted to rape her, Myers said, adding that the girl persuaded the assailant to take her back to Newhall, where she escaped in a church’s parking lot on Lyons Avenue.

“She ran out of the car when Martinez stopped . . . and then called police,” Myers said.

The girl and a relative went to Martinez’s Sylmar residence and Los Angeles police officers detained him about 8:30 p.m., until sheriff’s deputies arrived, Myers said.

Martinez was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, attempted rape, sexual battery and possession of narcotics, which were found during his arrest, authorities said. He was being held at the Santa Clarita station in lieu of $100,000 bail, Myers said.

Martinez was to be arraigned today in Newhall Municipal Court.