Man arrested in alleged Fall River abduction

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- Police arrested a suspect in the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 58-year-old woman in Fall River Sunday night.

According to police, 38-year-old Angel Cruz abducted the woman from the front porch of her home while she was watering flowers on Alden Street at around 7:30 p.m. Cruz allegedly grabbed the woman, punched her, wrested her into his car, and drove away.

Da Chuon, the victim’s son, was present at the time of the attack.

“The children of the woman was hanging on to the back of the car; they dragged him all the way up the street,” said Charlie Nickerson, a neighbor

Chuon said he chased after the suspect's car to try and stop the attacker. He grabbed on to the car, and was dragged as it sped away.

“I was dragged about 40 to 50 feet between this white car here, all the way to almost that black car,” said Chuon. “That was my mother, she was in danger.”

Investigators aren't sure why Cruz chose his victim, but neighbors believe the suspect has been scoping the area looking for a victim for weeks.

“She’s terrified, I mean, she told me that. I don’t think she can stay in that house by herself without any relative in there, and she’s afraid to come out,” said Chuon.

Police said approximately one hour after the abduction, the suspect dropped the woman off near her home. She was allegedly sexually assaulted.

"It did (happen really fast). It was within seconds. He had her in the car within, I'd say, 20 seconds. He apparently was panicking, so much in a rush that if he forgot to step on the brake to put the car into gear," said Nickerson.

"If they wanna put me in the cell with him for 15 minutes, that's all I ask," said Chuon of the suspect.

Cruz was arraigned in Fall River District Court on Monday, and is being held without bail.

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