The Montesano Police Department has arrested a suspect in the attempted kidnapping of a woman in Montesano last week.

Isaac J. Gusman, a 41-year-old transient, is alleged to have committed the attempted kidnapping and assault, according to a flier from the Montesano Police Department. He is a white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 180 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Prior to his arrest, he was last seen in Mason County on the Matlock-Brady Road and was living in the woods near the Mason County and Grays Harbor County line.

At about 8:15 p.m. on May 16 a 21-year-old woman was walking on Church Street in Montesano. As she was approaching McBryde Avenue, a blue Chevrolet Avalanche pulled up in front of her. The driver, who police say was Gusman, got out and walked around to the back of the vehicle.

“He said something about a flat tire,” Montesano Police Chief Brett Vance said. “She just sort of said, ‘Oh,’ and dismissed it.”

It was at that point, Vance says, that the man opened the passenger door and put a gun to the woman’s midsection. He grabbed her and tried to force her into the passenger seat. A struggle ensued.

Both the victim and the suspect fell to the ground.

The whole time, the victim was screaming.

After they fell, the man got up, climbed across the passenger seat, took the wheel and sped off, Vance said.

“We were actually able to confirm with three different neighbors that they heard the victim screaming. One person looked up and saw the vehicle taking off, and another neighbor saw her on the ground,” Vance said.

The police department, using video surveillance, knows that the vehicle came down Third Street and left town via West Pioneer Avenue.

“This is not a normal occurrence in Montesano,” Vance said.

Vance said residents should make themselves familiar with their surroundings.

“Be aware of what’s going on around you,” he said.

Gusman was taken into custody at 8:08 a.m. on May 22.

He was found 10 miles off Kelly Road in the Canyon River area north of Brady. He was living in a camp on U.S. Forest Service land.

The blue Avalanche was located at the campsite and was impounded.

The Sheriff’s Office, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, State Patrol, the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, and Green Diamond Security worked to find Gusman.

Gusman was named as a suspect on May 21. It was less than 24 hours later that Gusman was in custody of law enforcement.