Calistoga police probe possible kidnapping after screaming woman seen forced into vehicle
Police in Calistoga have launched an investigation after a witness reported a screaming woman being assaulted and forced into a vehicle, authorities said Wednesday.
An alert from the City of Calistoga and Napa County said the incident happened at about 11:50 a.m. on Lincoln Avenue between Brannan Street and the Silverado Trail North. According to the statement, a witness saw a man hit a woman in the stomach while forcing her into a sedan; the woman yelled for help and for someone to call the police.
The witness said the woman tried to exit the vehicle before the man forced her back inside and drove away.
The suspect was described as a White man about 40 years old with shoulder-length gray hair, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, and wearing a green shirt and black pants. The victim was described as a heavyset White woman about 40 years old, with dark hair, and wearing a purple sweatshirt with black leggings.
The suspect's car was described as a 2014 maroon Honda Accord with a black front bumper and California license plate 7JBZ430. The car was last seen heading north on Highway 29 from the Silverado Trail. According to the alert, the car was tracked by an automated license plate reader on Highway 20 outside of Williams in Colusa County.
The car's registered owner is from Chico but is not believed to be the suspect, according to the alert.
Investigators determined the suspect had registered under the name "Thomas Phillips" at a nearby hotel, but he was not positively identified.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or recognizes the vehicle, or the descriptions of the victim or suspect, is asked to contact Officer C. Townsend of the Calistoga Police Department at (707) 942-2810. Anyone who sees the vehicle is urged not to approach it and instead contact the police.
