A fast-acting Sierra Vista Junior High School student helped put a suspect behind bars Friday.

The eighth-grader saw what she thought was a suspicious man standing across the street staring at her near her school around 3:30 p.m., SCV Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Dubin said.

When the girl noticed the man crossing the street toward her, she took off, and the suspect chased after her, Dubin said.

She was able to outrun the suspect, Abran Casarez, 35, of Canyon Country, and she immediately told her family when she got home, he said.

Deputies responded to the area and found a man matching the description she gave deputies walking in the area.

“The quick thinking of this junior high school girl saved a potentially bad situation from becoming worse,” Dubin said. “And we are happy that once her family was notified of this incident, they called us immediately, and we were able to arrest a suspect.”

Casarez  was arrested and booked at the Sheriff’s Station for child annoyance. He’s being held on an unrelated probation hold, Dubin added.

The incident took place on Stillmore Street and Camp Plenty Road, near the junior high school.

“We encourage everyone to report suspicious activity in a timely fashion,” Dubin said. “We’re asking people if they have any information related to this incident to please call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121.”