North Richland Hills police are investigating a possible connection between an aggravated kidnapping and the escape of a "violent sex offender" Wednesday.
At about noon Wednesday, a man with a handgun forced a woman into her vehicle at a parking lot on the 5200 block of Rufe Snow Drive, according to North Richland Hills Police Department spokesman Keith Bauman.
That area has several restaurants and businesses. People who frequently go there were very surprised.
"You know these things happen but you don't expect them to happen so close to home," said Deborah Blakely of Watauga.
"It scared me. We live over in this area. Being alone and being a woman, it is scary that somebody could come and get you anytime," said Kaitlyn Novak of North Richland Hills.
The man drove the girl behind a vacant building on the 6500 block of Iron Horse Drive, where police said he eventually released her before driving away in her gray 2008 Toyota 4 Runner with Texas license plate CYF 1075.
"You can only imagine what kind of trauma a person would go through after being forced into a car by a man with a gun," said Bauman.
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Police described the man as about 45 years old, tall with thin white hair and wearing bluejeans and brown shoes. Police said they think he is Asian or Hispanic with a very dark complexion.
Investigators said they are looking into a possible connection between the kidnapping and the escape of 44-year-old Charles Sprague from a Fort Worth halfway house.
Police asked anyone with information about Sprague or this incident to call 911 immediately.
Sprague Added to Most Wanted List
Texas Department of Public Safety officials said they added Sprague to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders list Thursday.
Sprague was convicted of aggravated sexual assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated kidnapping and required to wear an ankle bracelet in 2010. Officials said he removed the ankle monitor Wednesday and left the halfway house where he was living.
Sprague is described as 6 feet 6 inches tall, weighs about 240 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.
A cash reward of up to $2,000 has been offered for information leading to his capture. To submit a tip:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Text "DPS" and a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cellphone.
- Complete this form from the DPS website.
- Submit a tip through the DPS Mobile App. App Store | Google Play.
More Information from the Texas DPS: $2,000 Reward Offered for Sex Offender Who Fled From Fort Worth Facility
