Waterford parents on alert after attempted abduction of teen girl

WATERFORD (WITI) -- Parents in Waterford are keeping a close watch on their children -- after a man tried to grab a teen after school on Wednesday, February 20th.

The Racine County Sheriff's Office says it is adding extra patrols around Waterford High School as they continue to search for the man one teen says grabbed her on her way home.

A walk home from Waterford High School turned frightening late Wednesday afternoon. That's when Racine County deputies say a 15-year-old girl was walking home alone around 3:30 when a man in a car approached her near Jefferson and Washington Street.

According to deputies, the man asked if the girl had any friends or a boyfriend, and the girl said no. The man then followed her, grabbed her and tried dragging her to his car.

"She says she just considers herself fortunate that she just reacted, and she thinks she surprised him by her reaction," Waterford High School Principal Eric Blake said.

Deputies say the girl screamed, escaped and called authorities. Her school issued an email blast to alert parents, and is adding extra security.

"They`ve got extra patrols in the community, and that will probably be the case for awhile," Blake said.

Deputies are on the lookout for a late 90s or early 2000s silver Buick Regal.

The suspect is described as a white man, between 180 and 200 pounds, with a scruffy beard. He was last seen wearing jeans, a dark green jacket, a baseball cap and sunglasses.

Blake says the teen is doing well. He and neighbors are hoping the suspect is spotted and caught.

"The first day Is obviously going to be the toughest to get through, and she is actually handling it quite well," Blake said.