BROOKINGS – Authorities are looking for a Sioux Falls man who allegedly kidnapped a Sioux Falls woman at Oakwood Lakes State Park early Sunday morning.
The woman escaped unharmed in Sioux Falls following two separate pursuits and after the suspect’s vehicle ran out of gas and he fled the scene on foot Sunday, Brookings County Assistant Sheriff Scott Sebring said.
The suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Alexander Felipe Andrade of Sioux Falls. Sebring said he is facing charges of first-degree kidnapping, intentional damage to property, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated domestic assault.
The incident was reported at 4:20 a.m. Sunday at the state park.
Sebring said the victim, a 22-year-old Sioux Falls woman, was sitting in a vehicle with two friends when a blue Jeep pulled up behind them. Andrade and the woman had been in a previous relationship.
“A male suspect identified as 23-year-old Alexander Felipe Andrade of Sioux Falls exited the Jeep with a machete and approached the victim’s vehicle. Alexander started swinging the machete striking the vehicle. Alexander reached into the vehicle and forcefully removed (the victim). Alexander forced her into the vehicle he was driving and left the scene,” Sebring alleged.
Sebring said SDSU Police located the suspect vehicle on the U.S. Highway 14 bypass near Brookings and pursued it for several miles on Interstate 29 then onto highway 324 before losing it.
“A while later the Sioux Falls Police located the vehicle in Sioux Falls and began to pursue it. Sioux Falls Police terminated the pursuit for safety reasons. Minutes later the suspect vehicle was located as it had ran out of gas,” Sebring said.
The woman was able to get away from Andrade and make a call to police, Sebring said. Andrade fled on foot and was still at large as of Sunday afternoon.
Sebring said a woman identified as 29-year-old Ashle Heier of Brookings was in the suspect vehicle with Andrade at the time of the kidnapping. “Ashle was located, interviewed and released by police. Charges are pending (against her).”
Anyone with any information about this case can contact the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office at 605- 696-8300, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by visiting www.brookingsareacrimestoppers.comor by calling 605-692-STOP (7867).
