Malibu, CA --A transient accused of kidnapping a Malibu teenager in June is due back in court in March for a pretrial hearing.
Alexis Fantauzzi, 28, faces felony charges of kidnapping for carjacking, kidnapping with the intent to commit another crime, annoy or molest a child, vandalism and attempting escape from arrest.
Fantauzzi, who was arrested on June 12, is being held Twin Towers Correctional Facility in lieu of $2 million bail. He is due in court on March 13 for a pretrial hearing at the LAX Courthouse.
In a preliminary hearing in July, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence for Fantauzzi to stand trial on kidnapping and other charges.
Fantauzzi is accused of jumping into the teen’s car while she was stopped at the traffic signal at Webb Way and Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, according to Sgt. Dan Scott of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau.
The girl, who was on her way to school, was held against her will as she and the man drove around Malibu for several hours until he ran out of gas, Scott said.
Michael Miller, a 65-year-old Malibu resident, saw the girl crying
in the passenger seat of a grey SUV at the gas station on Heathercliff Road and Pacific Coast Highway."She’s looking toward me and she seems almost hysterical," Miller said. "She’s pleading through the window of the car. She’s pleading ‘Please, help me. Help me. Help me, please,’ I was able to read by watching her lips move."
Miller said he confronted the kidnapper, but the man got back in the car and drove off. Miller then went inside the gas station and called 911.
Joseph Evans, 51, of Malibu who was also pumping gas, witnessed the exchanged and tried to follow them in his car. He eventually spotted the vehicle on Kanan Dume Road, which was on his way to work, and called 911.
Using the description, deputies located the SUV and took Fantauzzi into custody. Reported by Patch 7 hours ago.