Update: Attempted kidnapping in Casselberry was a misunderstanding, police say

CASSELBERRY, Fla. — Casselberry police said an 11-year-old boy who said he was nearly kidnapped was all a misunderstanding.

Jack Schroeder, 11, told police he was walking to his bus stop on Winter Green Boulevard at about 7 a.m. last week when a man in what looked like a Toyota Prius nearly ran him over, got out of the car and began walking toward him.

“When I got about right here, he came speeding at me,” Jack said. “I didn’t expect him to swerve and try and hit me.”

He said things got really scary as the man began walking quickly in his direction.

“He started speed-walking to me, so I ran through these trees and I went down past those hills,” said Jack. “When something terrifying like that happens, I’m not going to stay there and let them try and grab me or anything.”

Jack ran into a nearby wooded area, and used his cellphone to call his father, police said.

Police said the incident involved a newspaper delivery man and that he was on his paper route, simply doing his job, not trying to kidnap the boy.

Police saw the newspaper delivery man Saturday and said they began piecing together the story.

Cox Media Group