Police say he took Oregon woman to Battle Ground area
A Vancouver man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of his former girlfriend and authorities want to talk to a woman who helped the alleged victim escape in the Battle Ground area.
The incident started early Saturday in Clackamas County, Ore., and involved the alleged victim being driven to the Battle Ground area.
Jose Guadalupe Pinedaleon, 33, who told police he lives on La Frambois Road in Vancouver, is being held in the Clackamas County Jail.
The alleged victim was identified as Yesenia Vehar-Fombona, 26, of Beaverton, Ore.
Pinedaleon is scheduled to make his first appearance at 3 p.m. today in Clackamas County Circuit Court in Oregon City.
At one point, a woman who authorities are calling the “Good Samaritan,” picked up the woman, who had escaped, and drove her into Battle Ground.
“We desperately want to talk to her,” said Clackamas County Sheriff’s Detective Jim Strovink. She is the key in determining where the victim was taken, he added.
Strovink said the woman is 25 to 30 years old, has light brown hair and was driving an older gray SUV.
Strovink said the woman was taken somewhere between Battle Ground and Woodland by the suspect, to an area that looked like a gravel pit and might be used for target shooting.
Here’s how the incident unfolded, Strovink said.
Vehar-Fombona, who lives with her two children in Beaverton, had recently severed her relationship with the suspect.
The suspect arrived at her place of employment, El Vaquero Sports Bar, 13456 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd., in Milwaukie, Ore. He allegedly followed her to her car when she finished her shift at 3 a.m.
The suspect had been drinking, and attempted to persuade Vehar-Fombona to go with him. She refused and drove away.
Strovink said the suspect then followed her in his automobile along Interstate 205 and called the victim on her cell phone, stating, “If you don’t pull over now, I’m going to kill you!”
Then, according to a press release, the suspect pulled alongside the alleged victim’s vehicle and shot at least one round from his handgun into the driver’s side of Vehar-Fombona’s car.
Vehar-Fombona pulled over to the edge of the freeway and was forced into the armed suspect’s vehicle.
He drove to the Battle Ground-area location, continuing threats to kill Vehar-Fombona, Strovink said.
The press release stated: “After several hours, while being held against her will with the armed suspect parked in this secluded area, the suspect fell asleep and Yesenia Vehar-Fombona was able to slip the handgun from the sleeping suspect and fled from her abductor.”
That’s when she flagged down the SUV driver, Strovink said. That woman speaks English and Vehar-Fombona only speaks Spanish.
The “Good Samaritan” gave Vehar-Fombona a ride to a Chevron station in Battle Ground.
Strovink said the suspect awakened and followed the car to the Chevron. He texted Vehar-Fombona telling her not to tell police and that he had an accomplice who would harm her children.
Strovink continued: “While seeking refuge in the restroom, Yesenia emptied the handgun and disassembled this weapon into several pieces that she concealed in her clothing. After a brief period of time, the gas station attendants detected something was peculiar and notified the Battle Ground Police Department, which responded to the scene.
“Battle Ground police summoned to the station contacted both Yesenia Vehar-Fombona and the suspect at the gas station. Out of concern for her children and for her own welfare, Yesenia did not reveal or convey to Battle Ground police any of the traumas she had been experiencing from the suspect. Out of pure fear, she withheld the truth of the circumstances to the inquiring officers and no further police action was required or pursued.”
Vehar-Fombona then called her ex-husband, who came and gave her a ride. At 12:12 p.m. Saturday, she reported the incident to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. At 6:50 p.m. Saturday, after a traffic stop, Clackamas County deputies arrested the suspect.
A Battle Ground officer on Sunday could not elaborate on the incident.
Persons with information are asked to contact the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office’s confidential Tip Line at 503-723-4949.
The public also can submit crime-tip text messages to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office from a cell phone to CRIMES (274637 on your phone keypad) — with the keyword CCSO as the first word in the message body.
