Lethbridge man charged in alleged kidnapping, sexual assault

Lethbridge Police have charged a 36-year-old man after a woman was allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted before managing to escape with the help of a bystander.

The incident occurred late on Oct. 2, when the victim was at a Park and Ride on 5 Avenue S, near 7 Street S, around 11:00 p.m.

According to police, the woman approached a red car she believed belonged to a friend. As she leaned in to look inside, an unknown male driver allegedly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the vehicle through the open passenger window.

The suspect then drove through several downtown locations, including Tudor Manor Apartments and the main branch of the Public Library.

Near the Castle Apartments, the woman managed to grab the vehicle’s keys, causing it to hit a curb. She threw the keys out the window, drawing the attention of a nearby man who heard her screams and intervened, allowing her to escape.

The suspect fled the scene.

The victim told police the man made sexual remarks and touched her during the ordeal. She did not sustain physical injuries.

Police responded to a third-party report just after midnight on October 3 and located a vehicle and driver matching the description.

A traffic stop was conducted, and the suspect was arrested without incident. A search of the vehicle revealed some of the victim’s belongings.

Dwight Joe Sam Wadsworth, of Lethbridge, has been charged with sexual assault, kidnapping, unlawful confinement, and assault. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have been in the downtown area between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.—particularly near the Park and Ride or Public Library—and who may have witnessed the incident or seen the suspect vehicle, a 2003 red Pontiac Grand Am, to contact police. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers.