SM man allegedly tried to force teen-age girl into car
By Daily Press staff
A Santa Monica man was arrested this past weekend for attempted kidnapping after he allegedly tried to force a 13-year-old girl into his car on Friday.
Fredrick David Trotter, 63, was arrested by Santa Monica Police on Saturday at 3 a.m. at his residence in the 1900 block of Cloverfield Boulevard. Trotter allegedly grabbed the girl’s arm and attempted to force her into his vehicle in a parking lot at Pico Boulevard and Stewart Avenue at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
Two witnesses intervened and the victim was able to escape, police said. The victim was not injured and she was taken home.
When officers spoke to the victim, she indicated that she and her mother knew Trotter, who used to be a neighbor. Officers were able to identify Trotter, determined where he lived and went to his home. Trotter came out of his apartment and was arrested. Investigators obtained a search warrant and recovered additional evidence.
Trotter, who has a prior conviction for child molesting, was booked at the Santa Monica Jail and his bail set at $100,000. Trotter was convicted in 1965 in Los Angeles municipal court for performing a lewd act on a child, which was a misdemeanor, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The DA’s office on Tuesday filed one count of attempted kidnapping and one count of child annoying with a prior conviction.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 19, 2005. Read the original PDF.