A sheriff says a 16-year-old girl escaped from a man who tried to abduct her and drag her into the woods by punching the man in the face.

Sheriff Dennis Hillstead in St. Croix County says 22-year-old Jason Alwin of Somerset was arrested last Wednesday when he tried to abduct a 16-year-old girl. He's been charged with three felonies, false imprisonment, child enticement, and abduction of a child.

Hillstead says the girl was walking on Highway C north of New Richmond around 9:15 a.m. He says Alwin noticed the girl, parked his car, and hid in the woods. When the girl walked by, he ran up, grabbed her by the waist and tried to drag her into the woods. She broke free and punched Alwin in the face and ran away. A deputy in the area noticed the girl and she told the deputy what had just happened. Hillstead says the deputy saw Alwin trying to run back to his car and arrested him.

Hillstead says the girl deserves a lot of credit for fighting free from Alwin. He'll be in court next week.