Dennis RomeroUpdated at the bottom with the case dismissed.
An alleged perv who took a teenage girl for a ride in his Mercedes and then, cops say, grabbed her leg before being met with the business end of her foot was being investigated for other possible ride-and-grab crimes, according to the LAPD.
The teen, who police say kicked the suspect in the face and shoulder, got away, and cops caught up with the alleged grabber: They ID'd him as 33-year-old Shota Mgeladze.
They say he rolled up to the girl …
… one week ago (on Tuesday, Nov. 29) about 3:35 p.m., in the 600 block of Fifth Avenue in Venice's Oakwood neighborhood, outside a school. They didn't ID the school but we found that the Venice Skills Center, an LAUSD adult school, is right there at 611 Fifth.
Corresponding with that info: The teen was not reported as being underage.
It all started when suspect pulled over in his sleazy 2002 CL 55 Mercedes with paper plates (he just got it?) and used a “ruse” to get her in his car, cops said.
A Mercedes CL.; Credit: LAPD
She stepped in, and Mgeladze proceeded to tell her how beautiful she is, that she should be a model, that he could help her, and that the first thing she should do, apparently, is take off her clothes and pose for him, according to LAPD allegations laid out in a statement.
Then, officers allege, the man abruptly pulled up to the curb, stopped, and dove for her leg, at which point he got the Crouching Tiger treatment. Police said:
The investigating detectives commend the young girl for her strength and bravery …
The LAPD says it caught up with Mgeladze at 6:45 p.m. that day and arrested him on suspicion of kidnapping for sexual motive.
Cops called him a “sexual predator” and wonder aloud if there are other victims.
He's 6 feet, 5 inches tall, weights 210 pounds, had brown hair and eyes and, like we said, drives a douchey car.
Anyone who has dirt on the suspect was asked call detectives at 213-473-0447.
[Update at 3:58 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2012]: A relative of the suspect sent us court documents that show the judge dismissed the case as a result of “insufficiency of evidence.” After spending weeks in jail, Mgeladze was released on April 11, the day of dismissal.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.