On Monday afternoon, that lesson paid off when Ashley Schuering, 15, fended off what she described as a kidnapping attempt. It's a situation that Pasco County sheriff's investigators say could have turned out differently if not for the teen's quick thinking, and they hope the incident will serve as a lesson for other families.

``She composed herself and did what she's been taught,'' Sandy Schuering said. ``I'm just so glad it turned out the way it did.''

Her husband echoed her sentiment.

``I was a lucky parent,'' Scott Schuering said. ``There's a lot of parents out there who haven't been as lucky.''

About 4:20 p.m. Monday, Ashley, a ninth-grader at Hudson High, went for a bicycle ride on Lavender Avenue. She waited for traffic to clear so she could cross Sea Ranch Drive.

Before she could cross, a blue 1987 Mercury stopped in the roadway, and a man in his 50s got out. He approached the teen from behind and dragged her toward the car, according to a sheriff's report. The man later was identified as Harold Hubert Carroll, officials said.

Ashley fought back and was about five feet from the car when she escaped. She ran to a relative's house, and the man drove away, officials said. He didn't get far. While Ashley talked to a deputy, her father and uncle searched Hudson Beach for the car. They found it parked at Hudson Beach Inn with Carroll inside, officials said. They called Sandy Schuering, and she told investigators, who rushed to the motel.

Deputy Bryan McClain questioned Carroll, who was holding a beer and a 5-foot- long rope, according to McClain's report. Investigators searched Carroll's car and said they found rope, duct tape, four marijuana cigarettes and rolling papers.

Carroll, 56, of Temple, Ga., was arrested on charges of attempted kidnapping and possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the Land O' Lakes jail, where bail was set at $501,000.

After his arrest, Carroll told McClain that Ashley had visited him on several occasions, the report states. Later, Carroll told McClain he had been staying with a friend, whose last name he didn't know, the report states. In another interview, Carroll told Detective Eric Seltzer, ``I just stopped to talk to her.''

Investigators worked Tuesday to piece together what brought Carroll, who is described as a wealthy investor, to Pasco County. He told detectives he came to buy property, is self-employed, and often buys and sells houses in Georgia.

Carroll's friend Norman Sailers, with whom he had been staying, said Carroll would not be capable of kidnapping.

However, investigators say there is another side to Carroll.

He is serving three years' probation on a felony aggravated assault conviction, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. He was arrested on that charge about a year after completing a one- year probation sentence on a misdemeanor battery conviction. Seltzer said Carroll's record also includes a conviction for aggravated stalking.

Detectives in Florida and Georgia were checking for similar kidnapping patterns.

On Tuesday, the Schuerings sat in a Pasco courtroom to see whether Circuit Judge William R. Webb would reduce Carroll's bail. Carroll appeared on a video monitor broadcast from the jail.

``I hope they punish him to the max,'' Scott Schuering said.

Carroll told Webb the charges were ``a misunderstanding.'' He said a divorce drained his finances and he couldn't afford to hire his own attorney, but he declined a public defender because his employer, who he declined to name, was working on hiring an attorney.

Webb denied his request to reduce bail.

Ashley, a cheerleading and gymnastics standout, went back to school Tuesday. The family said they are trying to keep her life as normal as possible.

Hudson High Principal Greg Wright said students had not expressed concern Tuesday, but he was prepared to meet any counseling needs that might arise this week.

Anyone with information about Carroll can contact Seltzer at 1-800-854-2862, Ext. 7209.