Florida Man Kidnaps 12-year-old Thinking He Has Drugs, Boy Jumps Out of Moving Truck to Escape, Police Say

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to kidnap a boy as he was walking home from school and asking him for drugs.

Timothy Miller, 26, is accused of persuading the 12-year-old to get into his white pickup truck after the boy got off his school bus in Boyton Beach, Florida, on August 21.

Miller was stopped by two eyewitnesses after they saw the boy jumping out of the vehicle while it was driving down the street. The boy briefly lost consciousness after hitting his head on the pavement while attempting to escape from the suspect.

According to the Boynton Beach Police Department, Miller pulled up beside the child and offered him a ride. He allegedly told the boy that he "gives kids rides all the time and not to worry because he won't do anything weird."

The child said the suspect seemed "nice and had a friendly smile" so got into the vehicle.

Miller is accused of asking the child if he had any drugs and began "looking at him strangely," according to the affidavit. Miller is then said to have started driving erratically, including nearly careering the truck off the road.

The boy became scared and attempted to open the door to exit the vehicle. Miller then started to drive faster to prevent the boy from getting out, but the child was "determined and scared" and eventually leaped from the moving vehicle.

The two people who saw the boy leap from the car then chased after Miller and detained him until police arrived. The 26-year-old then repeatedly and violently resisted arrest while he was being taken into custody.

Miller told police that he thought the boy was 14 to 16 years old and admitted approaching him in an attempt to buy drugs. He said the boy did ask to be let out the vehicle at one point.

He was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, resisting arrest with violence and child neglect.

"We are grateful to the good Samaritans who assisted us with taking Miller into custody," Boynton Beach Police wrote on Facebook. "We encourage parents to use this as an opportunity to remind their children about the dangers of getting into a car with someone they do not know."

Giving further advice to parents, Stephanie Slater, spokesperson for Boynton Beach Police, told NBC: "Make sure your child's name is not visible on their backpacks [because] if a stranger calls out their name, perhaps they would be more willing to get into a car with them."