Payson man charged after reportedly attempting to kidnap girl, court documents say

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A Payson man was charged Monday after police said he attempted to kidnap a 15-year-old girl.
Abel Torres, 54, is being prosecuted by the Wasatch County Attorney Office in Heber City’s 4th District Court and faces charges of kidnapping, assault, threat of violence and intoxication.
According to an affidavit, police arrived outside the Homestead Resort on Monday while responding to a fight and found four men in a verbal altercation with each other. After they were separated and one man, Torres, was detained for noncompliance, an investigation ensued.
Police said two of the men involved in the altercation told them they were working on a job site when their sister-in-law approached them and said a man attempted to grab her. They said they confronted the man, Torres, and found he “reeked of alcohol and was drunk,” the affidavit said.
Police reportedly spoke to the victim and found her “visibly shaking and appeared to be in fear.” She told police she exited a truck and was approached by Abel, who attempted to speak with her then asked her to go with him, and she said no, the affidavit said.
“She then stated that he attempted to grab her by the hand and began to try to pull her to the vehicle he had come out of. She was then able to break free and once freed he then attempted to slap (her) in (her) face. She then was able to get back into the truck and locked herself in there,” police said.
A witness who was on a video call with the girl at the time of the incident was able to corroborate the story, police said.
Torres also allegedly assaulted a security guard who attempted to separate the men in the altercation that followed, court documents said.
Torres was booked into the Wasatch County Jail.