Swift action on the part of police officers in Summit resulted in the thwarting of an attempted abduction over the weekend, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Summit Police Chief Andrew Bartolotti jointly announced Sunday.
Officials said Mr. Shervon James, 33, of the Vauxhall section of Union Township has been charged with first-degree kidnapping.
The incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday when the 19-year-old victim, a resident of Summit, was walking on Fernwood Road near Whittredge Road and she was approached by an individual (later identified as James) driving a white four-door sedan, according to the preliminary investigation.
According to police, James was kept under surveillance until arrest warrants were issued, and he was taken into custody without incident, after which he was transported to the Union County Jail, where he awaits a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in Union County Superior Court. The victim was unharmed.
“An immediate and thorough response by police officers and detectives ensured the swift apprehension of the suspect,” Chief Bartolotti said.
“Evidence indicates that this was an isolated incident, and there was no danger to other members of the community.”
Prosecutor Ruotolo and Chief Bartolotti also wish to extend their gratitude to the Union Police Department, under the leadership of Director Daniel Zieser, for their assistance.
Authorities are now asking property owners on Fernwood Road between Whittredge Road and Hillcrest Avenue, and on Woodmere Drive between Hillcrest and Summit avenues, to check their home security systems for video surveillance footage recorded on Saturday between 3:45 and 4:10 p.m., showing the aforementioned white sedan, which also had black rims.
Please contact detectives at 908-277-9400 (press option one, then option six, for the Detective Bureau) with any recorded footage.
Convictions on criminal charges of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of 10 to 20 years in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.