Homeless Man Tried To Lure Sonoma County Girl Into Car, Cops Say

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Sonoma County sheriff's detectives arrested a homeless Santa Rosa man Friday for allegedly trying to lure a 13-year-old girl into his car as she walked home from school last week in the Larkfield area. Timothy James Kottler, 47, was booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of annoying or molesting a victim under 18 years of age, said Sonoma sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum.

The teenager, a student in the Mark West Union School District, told authorities a man driving an older model silver Pontiac sedan made a u-turn at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, then pulled his car up alongside her and told her "she was pretty and asked if she needed a ride."

"He had also opened his car door for her, stating his window was broken," Crum said. "She refused and he continued to ask for her phone number and engage her in conversation."

Kottler drove away when he noticed an AT&T technician working nearby, the sergeant said.

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Using a license plate number provided by the AT&T technician, the sheriff's office tracked down the car's registered owner in Sebastopol.

Crum said that during questioning, the owner told detectives he had recently sold the 1990s-model silver Pontiac Grand Prix to Kottler.

"Kottler was homeless and, with a few leads, [detectives] were able to find him at the Mission in downtown Santa Rosa at about 5 p.m. on Friday, March 23," Crum said.

Kottler was brought in for questioning, then booked into jail.

"He has since been released on a bail bond but his booking photograph is being released as it is believed he presents a possible threat to the community," Crum said.

Mugshot courtesy Sonoma County Sheriff's Office