BLANCHESTER — A man who allegedly abducted and assaulted his girlfriend in Blanchester has been arrested, and the woman was also arrested on outstanding warrants, according to Blanchester police.

At around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, police were called to the area of S. Broadway St. and Fancy St. regarding a report of a woman being assaulted inside a white Ford pickup truck.

“Sgt. Brian Noah arrived in the area, where he spoke with witnesses, who said they saw a woman walking along East Fancy Street when a white Ford pickup truck pulled up to the woman, the driver of the truck got out and forced the woman into the truck, punched the woman several times, then fled,” said Police Chief Scott Reinbolt. He said one of the witnesses was able to get the license plate number of the truck, which fled southbound on State Route 133.

“A radio broadcast was issued for other police departments to be on the lookout for the truck. A check of Ohio BMV records showed the truck registered to Charles Fribourgh of rural Batavia,” said Reinbolt. “Sgt. Noah asked the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office to go to Fribourgh’s address, where they spoke with Fribourgh’s girlfriend, Nicole Neal, age 43, who stated she was the woman involved in the earlier altercation in Blanchester. The Clermont County Sheriff’s Office placed her under arrest for arrest warrants they held unrelated to this matter.”

On Saturday night Sgt. Gary Mowen of the Blanchester Police Department went to the Clermont County Jail where he spoke with Neal, who stated “Fribourgh forced her into the pickup truck against her will and assaulted her,” said Reinbolt.

“On Monday morning we began working with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office in order to obtain a search warrant for the truck involved in this incident,” said Reinbolt. “We also briefed the Office of Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney Rick Moyer on the incident, and his office filed a charge of abduction against Fribourgh yesterday afternoon. Late yesterday afternoon deputies from the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Fribourgh on that charge.”

He said later that afternoon Clermont County deputies and Blanchester Ptl. Kristen Jeffers executed the search warrant on Fribourgh’s truck.

Fribourgh, 40, was transported from the Clermont County Jail to the Clinton County Jail by Ptl. Jeffers Monday night.

“He has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1999, with several cases either dismissed or plea bargained to lesser offenses,” said Reinbolt. He was to answer the abduction charge this morning in the Clinton County Municipal Court.

“We appreciate the assistance of the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office in this case,” Reinbolt added.