A young teenage girl who fought off a man accused of trying to kidnap her will be honored Tuesday night by National City officials.
Leonard Earl Scroggins, 32, who is listed on the Megan’s Law website as a Napa resident who has served time for rape, was arrested in National City on the night of the incident. He was picked up by police on May 19 after a Guadalupe Perez fought of the abduction attempt in National City on 16th Street near Q Avenue earlier in the day.
Shortly after the incident, Guadalupe told the media that she was walking home alone from National City Middle School for the first time -- she usually walks with friends -- when a man in a dark-gray van pulled up near her. She said the man got out and then grabbed her around the neck while holding a knife.
The teen said the man told her, "Get in the car or I'll cut you," but she said she fought him off, cutting her finger in the process.
"I gave him an elbow hit, and then I screamed, 'Let me go!' " Guadalupe said.
Guadalupe said the man then fled in the van and she ran home and called police.
"I was really scared," Guadalupe said. "I wasn't really processing what was going on ... until I'm like, 'This is really happening.' "
Later in the afternoon, police identified Scroggins, a convicted sex offender who is also a person of interest in a pending sex assault case in Napa, as a suspect in the attempted kidnapping.
Also being honored on Tuesday night at the City Council meeting will be a second alleged victim of Scroggins, who had her purse snatched, as well as the officer who caught Scroggins. The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the City Council chambers in the 1200 block of National City Boulevard.
