BREMERTON, Wash. -- A woman who was being attacked by a would-be rapist beat the man with an iron brace and got his license plate number as he fled, helping police find and arrest him, police said.

The attempted rape happened just after the woman parked at a Bremerton restaurant waiting for her husband to get off work just across the street at Naval Base Kitsap, police said.

Kaye Corpstein said Budd Hansen Jr. walked up and asked her for directions as she was waiting for her husband on Monday night.

She said suddenly Hansen pulled a knife -- held it to her stomach -- and began ordering her to get into her truck.

“I know that what he was going to do was rape me. I know that he could put me in the back seat and he could drive off with the truck and rape me, or even rape me right here and there was no way that was going to happen,” Corpstein said.

Corpstein said she knew she had to do something -- so she began looking for some kind of weapon -- under the seat -- she found a L-shaped iron brace.

“About that time I went whacked over like this as hard as I could, and it stunned him and he went to get his knife again, then I whacked him real hard. And then he stumbled and grabbed my arm and I whacked him again,” Corpstein described.

Hansen staggered -- bleeding and then ran away, she said.

“He got into his rig and was starting to pull out and I remembered his license plate, saying it over and over and over and over,” Corpstein said.

Bremerton police traced the plate and arrested Hansen Tuesday.

Investigators said the situation could have ended much worse if Corpstein hadn't fought back.

“Very brave, probably the right move on her part. Who knows what would have happened if she complied and gone along with him,” said Detective Sgt. Kevin Crane of the Bremerton Police Department.

Hansen is being held in the Kitsap County Jail in Port Orchard. He's expected to make his first appearance in court on Wednesday.