Lancaster County man sought on kidnap charge

Originally Published Sep 19, 2008 11:47

By JANET KELLEY
Staff

Police are searching for a Lancaster County man who allegedly kidnapped his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend from a school bus stop Thursday afternoon and drove her to Virginia.

Ciro Ismael Vazquez, 23, who has recently lived at addresses in both Marietta and Mount Joy, is not yet in custody, state police said today, and his whereabouts are unknown.

The alleged victim, from Cleona, Lebanon County, managed to escape from Vasquez unharmed and contact her family, troopers said.

After she contacted her family, members of the Winchester, Va., Police Department located the girl and took her to safety.

Pennsylvania State Police troopers drove to Virginia last night to bring the teenager back to her Lebanon County home, Trooper John O'Neill said today.

The incident began around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to O'Neill, when the girl was dropped off at a school-bus stop near the Cleona Elementary School, 90 E. Walnut St., Cleona.

Vazquez, who police said had a relationship with the teenager in the past, took the girl by force and put her in his car. Then he droved to Virginia.

O'Neill said he did not know why Vazquez chose to drive to Winchester, a northern Virginia community about 143 miles and two-and-one-half hours driving time from Cleona.

The car was described by police as a black Plymouth Neon with Pennsylvania license plate GVM7167. The vehicle was also described as having purple stripes or waves painted on the rear doors of the vehicle.

O'Neill declined to give too many specifics of the abduction, but did say that force was used.

The trooper also did not say how the girl escaped.

 If anyone witnessed the abduction, or knows anything about Vazquez or his whereabouts, O'Neill added, troopers would like to speak with them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact state police in Jonestown at 717-865-2194.

Cleona is located in Lebanon County, just west of the city of Lebanon and about 10 miles east of Hersheypark amusement facility.


Staff writer Janet Kelley can be reached at jkelley@LNPnews.com or 481-6026.