Suspect seen on video pistol-whipping, kidnapping woman in Commerce pleads not guilty

COMMERCE, Calif. (CNS) -- A 32-year-old man was charged Friday with kidnapping a woman at gunpoint in Commerce.

William Garcia pleaded not guilty in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to 33 counts, including kidnapping, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of an assault weapon and drug-related charges.

The criminal complaint includes allegations that Garcia personally used a semiautomatic firearm during the commission of the kidnapping Tuesday and that he has a 2011 conviction for robbery in Los Angeles County.

Garcia was arrested about 2 p.m. Wednesday and booked on suspicion of kidnapping in connection with the alleged attack on the woman a day earlier.

As she approached the 2200 block of Couts Avenue, the suspect pulled his car into a nearby driveway, got out of the car, hit the victim with a pistol and forced her into the passenger side of the vehicle and drove away south of Cowlin Avenue. The encounter was caught on surveillance video.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the woman was walking and talking on her cellphone at 4:21 p.m. Tuesday, and appeared to be trying to get away from somebody.

The woman was subsequently found "safe and unharmed,'' according to the sheriff's department.

The motive for the alleged kidnapping was not immediately clear.

Garcia -- who has remained behind bars since his arrest -- is due back in court May 10.

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