SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - What started as a peaceful night on the family boat ended in a terrifying ordeal for three local teenagers.
"I was really scared. I thought that I was going to die. I was so scared, and he wouldn't let me go," said the 17-year-old girl.
The high school senior doesn't want to show her face, but she does want to warn other girls about hanging out at the marina behind the San Diego Marriot Marquis after dark.
It was Sunday, shortly before midnight. She and two friends were leaving the boat to go home.
Their friend was walking to the parking lot when she was first approached by a guy in a towel telling her she needed to go with him.
She was able to get to her car, and that's when the man turned his attention to the two girls still on the dock.
"He was leaning against the railing, or it seemed he wanted to jump in the water trying to get across," the teen said. "We ran into the boat, and when we looked back, that's when it seemed he was trying to get in through the gate."
Somehow he managed to get around this locked gate. The teens ran back to the boat.
"We quickly locked the doors of the boat and hid ourselves in the bedroom and put a chair against the door," said the teen.
Then they heard footsteps on the boat.
"We tried to stay quiet, and my friend grabs an antique sword that we have on the boat, and we're just waiting to see if he comes," the teen said. And that's when he breaks through the door."
He tried to grab one of the girls, but they were both able to get away.
"When I tried to run out the door, he grabbed onto my wrist, and he was like, 'you can't leave.' I was quickly able to slip my wrist out and take off my sweater, and I was able to get away," said the 17-year-old.
A few down, Jason Miller was asleep but woke up to the commotion.
"They were screaming consistently like someone was being attacked, so I went to my downstairs to see what was going on," Miller said. "She came off the boat, and her friend had come off."
The army vet confronted the intruder, who was now armed with the antique sword.
"He had picked up the sword off the floor, I guess, and there was a confrontation. I was able to disarm him and detain him until police got there," said Miller.
Harbor Police aren't releasing details about the case but confirm the man is in custody facing charges of burglary and false imprisonment.
