Man pleads not guilty in LA kidnap-throat slashing

A Chinese national has pleaded not guilty to charges that he kidnapped a woman for ransom, slashed her throat and left her for dead in the Southern California desert.

DeQiang Song entered his plea Monday in the Sept. 8 attack on the 21-year-old woman.

Authorities say the victim, also a Chinese immigrant, knew Song through a mutual friend and asked him to drive her to a mall. They alleged Song instead took her to the desert, where he choked her and sliced her throat.

Believing the woman was dead, he drove back to the San Gabriel Valley and called her father to demand the ransom money.

Authorities say the victim managed to crawl to safety.

Song was later arrested when he showed up to a parking lot to pick up the money.