SEBASTIAN — A woman Thursday who was held at gunpoint inside the vehicle of her ex-fiancé was able to escape the brief kidnapping that occurred in the parking lot of the Burger King on County Road 512 near Sebastian. Her accused attacker has since been arrested.
Miriam Bedolla had agreed to meet with her ex-fiancé, Edward Vargas of Fellsmere, at the restaurant. The relationship had ended 4 months prior. After the pair sat and ate their meal, Vargas told Bedolla he wanted them to get back together, according to the arrest affidavit.
Bedolla told him she did not want to get back together with Vargas, which made him very angry, according to the arrest report. He then took her keys and walked to his vehicle. She followed him and told him to give her back keys.
Vargas sat in his vehicle and told her he would give back her keys if she got in the vehicle and talked more. Bedolla got in his SUV and they talked. She repeatedly asked for her keys back but he would not return them.
Vargas then told Bedolla that he wanted to go for a drive and talk, but she told him that she did not want to go. He then locked the door and attempted to pull out of the parking lot, according to the arrest report.
Bedolla was able to unlock the door, open it, and get her foot out. Vargas reached over and grabbed her right shoulder pulling her back in. He then pulled a compact semi-automatic hand gun and pushed the barrel into her stomach.
Vargas ordered her to close the door, but she refused, according to the report. He backed out of the parking spot with her foot still out the door. He then made his way to the access road behind the Burger King.
When Vargas stopped at the stop sign, Bedolla was able to jump out of the SUV and run back to the Burger King.
Vargas then made his way back to the Burger King in his SUV and positioned his vehicle between Bodella and the restaurant ordering her back into the vehicle holding her keys. Bodella was able to reach inside the SUV and grab the keys from Vargas, but not before Vargas bit her on the forearm.
Upon retrieving her keys she opened her car to get her cell phone and called 911.
Vargas left heading west on CR 512 where officers from Fellsmere Police Department made contact with him and placed him under arrest.
Vargas faces charges of kidnapping, aggravated battery domestic violence, and domestic violence-related battery. Bond has not yet been set.
