A 24-year-old Edmonton man accused in an alleged abduction attempt in Abbotsford over the weekend says it was "all a misunderstanding."
Speaking to CTV News after leaving the courthouse on Monday, Dwight Love-Paulson said he's just moved to Metro Vancouver and is trying to meet new people.
Love-Paulson has been accused of offering alcohol and a ride to a teenage girl at an Abbotsford bus stop on Saturday.
Local police said the man made the offers after driving by the 16-year-old girl several times in a van.
When the girl refused, police say the man grabbed her by the arm and tried to pull her towards his parked van.
The teen resisted and a male passerby yelled at the suspect, causing him to flee. The passerby stayed with the teen until her bus arrived.
Love-Paulson was charged with assault in connection to the investigation, but told reporters he hadn't been trying to abduct the girl.
"It's all a misunderstanding," he said. "I would never do that in my life. I have my own daughter."
He said he believed he had spoken to the same girl who filed the report, and had asked how she was doing, but didn't realize how young she was.
"When the cops said she was underage I felt even worse…I asked her if she wanted to chill, have a drink or something," he said.
Love-Paulson said he'd recently moved to the area to work and support his daughter, and was looking to get to know people.
"I just thought I'd have a little fun and turned out, this whole thing just went right downhill."
He said he didn't grab the teen or try to kidnap her.
"Nothing like that ever happened. I talked to her and that was it."
Love-Paulson has been released from custody and will go back to work in between court dates.
Authorities are still appealing for witnesses, including the passerby who intervened, to come forward and speak with investigators.
Officers are also investigating reports of a second, unrelated abduction attempt in the city, which occurred Sunday night.
A 33-year-old woman was walking near Marshall and McCallum roads when a man in a blue van asked if she wanted a ride, police said. The woman declined and kept walking, but the man soon drove by again and offered her a ride.
As she reached Cherry Street and Marshall Road, she felt a hand grab her upper arm. She broke free and ran to a nearby home.
Police said the suspect has been described as a Caucasian man in his early 20s, who was clean-shaven and has wavy brown shoulder-length hair. He had a slim build and was wearing a dark-coloured baseball cap, and driving a dark minivan similar to a Pontiac Montana.
Officers have said they do not believe the cases are connected.
Tips in either case can be left with police at 604-859-5225 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Editor's note: The 33-year-old woman involved in the second alleged abduction attempt has since told police that the incident did not occur as she described, and the investigation has been closed. Her case was not connected to the investigation involving a 16-year-old and Dwight Love-Paulson, police said.
