Stonington Man Arrested for Alleged Abduction Attempt

Saturday 5:30 p.m. – A Stonington, CT man is being charged in relation to an alleged abduction attempt in Narragansett on Friday evening.

According to a Narragansett Police release from Det. Lt. Sean Corrigan, an off-duty Rhode Island State Police trooper spotted the truck of Matthew Klotz, 27, on the side of Route 1 South.

The officer, trooper John Gadrow, had seen an information packet about the truck earlier that day. According to Gadrow, he saw Klotz walk from the woods and back toward the truck.

Gadrow identified himself as an off-duty trooper, but said that Klotz ignored him and left the area in his truck. Gadrow called South Kingstown Police for assistance and followed Klotz along Route 1, until Klotz pulled over on Matunuck Beach Road.

According to Gadrow, Klotz then got out of his truck and confronted him, at which point he was detained until South Kingstown officers arrived. He was held at the scene until Narragansett Police detectives arrived and arrested him after further investigation.

Klotz is scheduled to be arraigned before a justice of the peace later tonight on charges of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon while committing a crime of violence. All are felonies.

Klotz will likely be held until Monday morning because of the severity of the charges against him. On Monday, it is likely that he will be arraigned in Fourth Division District Court, and a bail hearing would be held.

According to the Rhode Island Criminal Database, Klotz has either not been arrested in Rhode Island before, or past charges against him have been expunged.

However, according to the online Connecticut Criminal Conviction database, Klotz pleaded guilty in January 2003 to a felony charge of second-degree burglary. He was ordered to serve seven years.

According to Corrigan, the arrest was a result of a cooperative search by area police forces. Members of the Narragansett, South Kingstown and North Kingstown police departments search for Klotz in their various towns.

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Saturday 12:40 p.m. – Narragansett Police have released the attached photos of a “person of interest” in the attempted abduction of a 20-year-old woman on Ocean Road Friday afternoon.

According to Narragansett Police Det. Lt. Sean Corrigan, “The still photos depict a person of interest that was in the Dunkin Donuts in the Pier on Wednesday, Oct. 19. Anyone with any information on this person is urged to contact the Narragansett Police.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the tip line at 789-8967, or the non-emergency dispatcher’s line at 789-1091.

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Saturday 10:55 a.m. – According to a Narragansett Patch reader, police have identified a possible suspect in the attempted abduction on Ocean Road Friday afternoon.

According to the reader, the possible suspect is a regular at a Narragansett Dunkin’ Donuts. A store clerk informed police, who then printed an image of the man off a security camera. The victim told police she believed it was the man who attacked her.

No news of an arrest has been made public yet.

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Friday 10:33 p.m. – According to Narragansett Police, a 20-year-old woman told them that she fought off an attacker holding a gun shortly after 4 p.m. while jogging on Ocean Road near the Point Judith Country Club.

The man was described as in his 30s, Hispanic or a tanned Caucasian, with a buzz cut and a closely-trimmed “helmet strap” beard. The woman told police he was driving a small, teal blue pickup truck with Connecticut plates, with a lawnmower in the bed.

According to the woman, while she was jogging the man grabbed her from behind. While holding a dark-colored firearm, he told her to get into the truck.

The woman told police she fought off the attacker, and the man then left in his truck, heading south on Ocean Road toward Scarborough Beach. The woman told police she saw a lawnmower in the tailgate of the truck.

Police said an investigation was still ongoing. They are currently working on a composite photo to be released later tonight.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the tip line at 789-8967, or the non-emergency dispatcher’s line at 789-1091.

Friday night and Saturday afternoon press releases courtesy of Narragansett Police Lt. Sean Corrigan. We will update as more information becomes available.