Isaac J. Gusman, charged for an attempted abduction in Montesano last month, pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts, including attempted kidnapping and second-degree assault.
In a brief Monday afternoon arraignment before Superior Court Judge Ray Kahler, Gusman remained silent as his attorney, David Arcuri, entered not guilty pleas to both counts on behalf of his client as prosecuting attorney Katie Svoboda looked on.
The 41-year-old Gusman was identified as a suspect by Montesano police in the attempted kidnapping of 21-year-old AnnMarie Shuck as she was leaving her job at Westside Pizza on Main Street, heading to her Montesano home.
According to court documents, Gusman pulled a pickup up to the curb next to Shuck, said something about a flat tire, then grabbed her, putting what she believed to be a handgun to her ribs and trying to force her into the passenger seat.
Shuck screamed, went limp and fell to the ground, taking her attacker down with her. She continued to scream until her attacker got back into his vehicle and drove west on McBryde Avenue. After a composite sketch of the attacker and vehicle description were distributed, a witness recalled seeing the suspect and suspect vehicle as she was running on the Middle Satsop Road just hours before the attempted kidnapping. She said the suspect was acting strangely and tried to get her attention, so she tried to memorize his license plate.
Five days later, that witness’s husband saw what appeared to be the suspect vehicle on Middle Satsop Road in Mason County. The witness notified the authorities who were unable to locate the truck. They were provided the vehicle’s license number, which came back to a registered owner who said he had loaned the truck to his brother, Gusman. A previous booking photo of Gusman was added to a photo lineup, and Shuck picked him out immediately as her attacker.
Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office deputies tracked Gusman to a makeshift shelter in the woods several miles north of Brady and arrested him around 8 a.m. May 22. He remains in the Grays Harbor County Jail on $150,000 bail for each count.
