Teen out for a jog faces kidnapping at gunpoint

BATTLE GROUND, Wash. - KATU has new and disturbing details about the attempted kidnapping of a 15-year-old girl in Battle Ground. This happened while the girl was jogging in the area of 23800 N.E. 142nd Ave.

KATU News has been told that the teen was out for a jog Saturday evening, when a man a man pulled up in his truck and ordered her into his vehicle at gunpoint. The female screamed and ran to a nearby residence. A neighbor observed the incident and provided police with "a very detailed description" of the vehicle and the occupant. 

Police put the information out to other agencies in the county, including Washington State Patrol and the Clark County Sheriff's Office.  A short time later, a sheriff deputy saw a vehicle matching the description and stopped the vehicle at the intersection of the junction of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205. The driver, 27-year-old Matthew L. Ortiz, was arrested and transported to the Battle Ground Police Department.

Detectives from the Battle Ground Police Department took over the case and completed a search warrant of the suspect's vehicle. Inside the vehicle a police spokesperson said they found "numerous items of evidence to show that the suspect had plans to abduct the girl."

On Sunday morning police revealed the contents of that search: a knit ski mask, gloves, restraints (zip ties), camouflage clothing, a loaded handgun and other items that could be used to commit this crime.

The Battle Ground Police are continuing to investigate the possibility of other victims. The truck is a silver Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport. Police are asking citizens if they have seen this vehicle "acting suspiciously" recently.

Ironically, the Tacoma's 2010 TRD cousin is advertised by Toyota as this: "If you want to blend in, the TRD Sport ... ain't for you." 

"We believe that this may not be the first person contacted by this individual," said a police spokesperson, "and ask that others call their local police if believe they recognize the suspect or his vehicle."

Ortiz was booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of first degree kidnap and first degree assault.