St. Cloud Man Arrested on Kidnapping, Robbery, Assault, Drug Charges

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Cloud man has been arrested after allegedly threatening or assaulting three people Tuesday morning.

Assistant Police Chief Jeff Oxton says the first of the three incidents happened at 6:20 a.m. near the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 1st Street North. A 57-year-old woman from St. Cloud was waiting for a bus, when a man came out from behind a bush, grabbed her arm, pulled her and said "come with me." The woman was able to escape without getting hurt and the man left the area. While officers were searching the area for the suspect a second incident was reported.

The second incident happened at the Metro Bus station in the 500 block of 1st Street North at 6:50 a.m. A man matching the same description as the first incident asked a 52-year-old man from St. Cloud for his money and his cell phone. The victim wasn't hurt and didn't give him anything. The suspect left the area. Officers searched the area but did not find the suspect until after the third incident was reported.

The third incident happened shortly before 8:00 a.m. in the 2800 block of 7th Street North. A man also matching the same description from the first two incidents walked up very close to 46-year-old woman from Sauk Rapids in a threatening manner. The suspect was making hand gestures, trying to get the woman to turn around and eventually ran from the area. The victim was not hurt. Police did find the suspect hiding nearby.

The suspect was arrested and taken to the Stearns County Jail where he is being held on possible charges of attempted kidnapping, attempted robbery, 5th degree assault and felony possession of a controlled substance. The suspect is a 34-year-old man from St. Cloud, his name has not yet been released.