PENSACOLA, Fla. – Bond has been set at $1.5M for a Florida man accused of attempting to kidnap an 11-year-old girl Tuesday morning. The scary incident was caught on video.
Jared Paul Stanga, 30, is charged with attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault and simple battery.
Around 7:00 Tuesday, a white Dodge Journey pulled up to an 11-year-old girl waiting at a bus stop on Old Corry Field Road and Perdido Street. As you can see in the video, a man exits the vehicle reportedly armed with a knife. The suspect then grabs the little girl and a struggle ensues.
The brave girl was able to fight and break free from the suspect’s grip. She is safe and with family.
Stanga has a history of sex crimes, including offenses against children, the Sheriff said.
“She seems to be doing well,” said Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons. “I’m not so sure if she actually comprehends exactly what could have happened. She understands what happened. She fought like a trooper, and one of these days I’m going to give her an award for fighting, and fighting, and fighting.”
“I cannot help to think that this could have ended very different had this 11-year-old victim not thought to fight, and to fight, and to just never give up. This could have ended terribly,” Simmons added. “Why else do you think that this man stopped his van and tried to pick her up and take her into that van? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what his intentions were, they were not good.”
