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Westminster Police Hunt For Sexual Predator, Attempted Kidnapper

WESTMINSTER (CBS)  — Westminster police were looking for a man who tried to allegedly abduct a La Quinta High School student just before classes started Monday.

The 18-year-old student was walking alone near Brookhurst Street and Bishop Place when the man grabbed her from behind about 7:35 a.m., Westminster police Cpl. Van Woodson said.

The student screamed and struggled as the man forced her toward a parked car, but she managed to get free and ran to some nearby classmates while the suspect got into a newer-model white, full-sized sedan and sped away, Woodson said.

The suspect was described as a 5-foot-10 Latino man about 30 to 40 years old with an average build and short, "fluffy" dark hair, Woodson said. He was clean-shaven and was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans.

"This incident has us very concerned due to the suspect's aggressiveness," Woodson said. "Happily, this girl was brave and stood her ground and was able to fight this guy off."

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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