Deputies Investigate Suspicious Person Following Student To School In East County

LEMON GROVE, CA — Authorities were investigating a report of a suspicious person following a student to school in San Diego's East County.

A 13-year-old student was walking to Lemon Grove Middle School shortly after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday when they said they noticed an older man driving a gray Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at a stop sign near the intersection of Cypress Avenue and Lemon Grove Avenue in Lemon Grove, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

The driver reportedly waved at the student as they crossed the street and then the driver then made a U-turn in their direction, according to the student. The student later explained that they feared the driver was planning on kidnapping them, sheriff's Sgt. Steven Sepulveda said.

The student began to run and was approached by a woman driving another vehicle. The woman asked the student if they needed help and offered them a ride to school. The student entered the woman's vehicle and was driven to Lemon Grove Middle School without incident, Sepulveda said.

"School officials and deputies spoke with the student about the incident. At this time, there is not enough evidence to prove a crime took place," Sepulveda said. "However, the case has been assigned to a sheriff's detective and the investigation is ongoing."

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation at 619-337-2000.