Kidnapper Chased Woman Into the Wrong Place: Cops

August Williams was arrested in Charlotte, NC
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 5, 2019 11:10 AM CST
Updated Jan 5, 2019 11:48 AM CST
He Allegedly Chased Woman Into a Karate Dojo. Bad Idea
August Williams.   (Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office)

A North Carolina man was arrested Thursday after allegedly chasing a woman into a karate dojo—where he ran into a little trouble, CNN reports. Seems August Williams, 46, went into the Bushiken Karate Charlotte Dojo in Charlotte just as the chief instructor was cleaning up: "There were still some kids in the dojo being picked up by parents and a couple of adult students cleaning up when a young lady came through our doors and stated that someone was trying to harm her," says Randall Ephraim. "Shortly afterward, a big male entered the building." Ephraim says he first thought the visitor was there about classes, but Williams said he wanted the woman, and "she insisted that she did not know him and [he] tried to kidnap her."

That's when Williams apparently tried forcing himself into the dojo with swings and punches. "He was very strong—very, very strong," Ephraim tells WSOC. "He weighed at least 200 (pounds) and some change, under the influence—very strong powerful individual." Ephraim fended off the alleged assailant, who ran outside and was arrested by police arriving on the scene. Now Williams faces various charges including assault on a female, simple assault, and attempted kidnapping, per Fox 46 Charlotte. Police say he was on cocaine and tried dragging the woman into his pickup truck. As for Ephraim, he denies being a hero: "I was just doing what any responsible citizen would do," he says. "This is a place where we educate self-defense and we will open the door to anyone that's willing to come learn." (More kidnapping stories.)

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