Opening statements expected Tuesday in attempted abduction trial in Houston County

PERRY -- Opening statements from attorneys are expected Tuesday in the Houston County trial of a man accused of trying to abduct a young woman at gunpoint from a Warner Robins dry cleaner.

William Lawrence Carpenter, 30, formerly of Macon, was indicted on one count of aggravated assault, one count of attempted kidnapping and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime.

Authorities say that an armed Carpenter threatened a then 19-year-old employee of Master Cleaners on Russell Parkway and repeatedly ordered her to get into a Toyota 4Runner just after 2 p.m. March 29, 2012. Kaylie Lopez refused.

Lopez took a photo of the fleeing 4Runner that Warner Robins police used to track down and identify Carpenter.

But Carpenter claims in defense motions that he was golfing at Oakview Golf Course in Macon when the attempted kidnapping happened. When he returned to his 4Runner afterward, he said he noticed that his vehicle tag was missing. He said he reported the missing tag to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.

The former employee of a wireless company has been under house arrest and electronic monitoring at his father-in-law's home in Leesburg awaiting trial. He and his wife sold their home in Macon after Carpenter lost his job when he was charged in the incident.

Testimony also is expected Tuesday.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559, or find her on Twitter @becpurser.