A Red Deer man is facing seven charges after allegedly assaulting and attempting to abduct a girl near the G.H. Dawe Centre on Monday.
Alexander Beaulieu, 29, is charged with attempted kidnapping, choking with intent, aggravated assault, robbery, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, possession of stolen property under $5,000 and theft under $5,000 under the Criminal Code.
A 13-year-old girl was on the north side of the G.H. Dawe School around 1 p.m. when a man stopped his truck and asked if he could use her cellphone. He then attempted to pull the girl into the back of the truck.
She resisted and fought back despite being struck, kicked and choked. Eventually the man let her go.
The suspect grabbed the girl’s iPhone and fled in his vehicle. The girl was helped by a passerby and taken to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, where she was treated for non-critical injuries.
Police arrested the suspect a few hours later in north Red Deer.
Police are looking for two cellphones that may help with the investigation. One is a white iPhone 4 with a plastic Hello Kitty case with a blue bow on it. A description of the second cellphone is not available at this time.
Police believe both cellphones may have been discarded somewhere in north Red Deer on Monday.
Anyone who finds a discarded or abandoned cellphone is asked to call Red Deer RCMP at 403-343-5575.
Beaulieu is in custody and will appear in court in Red Deer provincial court on Jan. 2.