Man accused of attempting to abduct barista in drive-thru held on $500K bail

October 2024 · 1 minute read

The man accused of attempting to abduct a barista in Washington state appeared in court for the first time Wednesday.

A King County judge found probable cause for attempted kidnapping with sexual motivation and assault and set Matthew Darnell's bail at $500,000.

A formal charging decision is expected later this week.

Surveillance video shared by Auburn police shows Darnell, 38, trying to pull the barista into his car as she was handing him cash at a coffee shop drive-thru window early Monday morning. When he couldn't grab the woman, the video shows him trying to throw a zip tie around her head.

The woman was able to fight off Darnell and he quickly drove away in a dark grey SUV.

Police posted the surveillance video on social media Tuesday in hopes of identifying the him. They also noted a large tattoo on his left forearm that appears to read "Chevrolet."

Darnell was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Auburn.

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