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Woman recants report that attempted abduction occurred on Marshall Road

Alleged incident had been second one of its kind in Abbotsford over the weekend
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A woman who said a man tried to grab her on Sunday night as she was walking along Marshall Road has now recanted her statement.

Const. Ian MacDonald said the woman has now provided information to the Abbotsford Police that the incident did not happen as she described.

“She deeply regrets any undue alarm she caused the police or public,” he said, adding that the investigation is now over.

The 33-year-old woman had reported to police that she had been walking in the area of Marshall and McCallum roads at about 10 p.m. on Sunday when a man in a blue van asked her if she wanted a ride.

She said she declined and the man drove by a second time, again offering her a ride.

The woman said she was in the area of Cherry Street and Marshall Road when she felt a hand grab her upper arm. She told police that she was able to break free and run to a nearby residence.

MacDonald said the woman had consumed alcohol that evening and has since indicated that her memories are foggy about what may or may not have occurred. Police have ruled out that an attempted abduction took place.

The report followed an incident that occurred the previous day, when a 16-year-old girl was grabbed by a man as she was waiting at a bus stop on Old Yale Road near Mitchell Street.

A male passerby yelled at the suspect, causing him to flee.

Dwight Love-Paulson, 24, was arrested the following day and charged with assault in relation to that incident. He was in custody at the time that the second abduction attempt was reported.



Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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