By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - A Trenton man was charged late Saturday with attacking a 25-year-old woman in the parking lot of a Hamilton restaurant, then stealing her friend's van and leading officers on a high-speed chase.

Ryan D. Burton, 19, faces charges of kidnapping, felonious assault, aggravated robbery and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

He was being held at the Butler County jail and is to appear in court today.

Mr. Burton is accused of choking the woman, then jamming a blunt object to her throat as she slept in her friend's van in the parking lot of the Burger King at 1454 Main St., said Hamilton Police Lt. Gregory Dininger.

As Mr. Burton was on top of the victim, cutting her, the woman's female friend returned to the van and yelled for him to stop, according to police. The victim managed to get out of the van and escape with her friend.

Police said Sunday they had no motive in the attack.

Mr. Burton stole the white 1986 Ford Econoline van, leading Hamilton police who attempted to pull him over a few blocks away on a high-speed chase.

It ended when he crashed into a parked empty vehicle in the 1100 block of South Front Street, Lt. Dininger said.

Mr. Burton ran away but was quickly caught.

The victim was taken to Fort Hamilton Hospital, treated for cuts to her neck and released.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.