Authorities are investigating after a 10-year-old student reported being approached by a man offering him a ride near Sierra View Elementary School in Madera on Thursday morning, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said.

The fifth grader told deputies that around 7:44 a.m., a light gray Jeep Gladiator pulled up alongside him near Karen Road and Avenue 16 ½, behind the school.

The driver, described as a Hispanic man in his mid-to-late 20s with a thin build, short black or brown hair, and wearing a black hat with red writing and a navy-blue jacket, asked the boy several times if he wanted a ride to school.

The child refused, and the man eventually reversed his vehicle and drove off westbound on Avenue 16 ½, deputies said. He never left the vehicle or made physical contact.

The truck’s tailgate was down and had blue writing on both front doors. The driver also had red-framed sunglasses hanging from his shirt collar. No nearby cameras captured the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies said while the man’s intent is unclear and there was no overt kidnapping attempt.

Got a Tip?

Authorities urged parents to remind children about personal safety and encouraged anyone who sees a person or vehicle matching the description to call Madera County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (559) 675-7770.

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