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Woman uses key to fight off attacker along Virginia running trail

Posted at 4:16 PM, Aug 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-11 17:50:49-04

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- Police have released a sketch of the man who assaulted a woman on a Colonial Heights running trail. She was assaulted Monday, at about 10:58 a.m., along the Appomattox River Trail.

(Photo courtesy Colonial Heights Police)

"[She] was able to push the suspect back," Colonial Heights Police Captain William Anspack said. "The suspect stated, 'I am sorry, I am sorry' and fled the scene westbound along the river trail."

Colonial Heights Police released this image. They said the suspect is 5'08", with blue eyes and weighing 150-180 lbs.

Police described the suspect as a white man in his 20’s, approximately 5’08", and between 150 and 180 pounds. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and facial hair. He was last seen wearing a gray long sleeved shirt or hoodie.

"She passed him at first and then he came up behind her, grabbed her on the shoulder and then grabbed her on her buttocks," Captain Anspack said. "She was prepared, she had a key in her hand and she struck our offender and was able to flee."

This is the second incident on the trail in as many months, CBS 6 reported.

On July 31, a man was spotted flashing women and touching himself in the woods.

"I walked up to the parking lot from my car and [two other women] stopped me and said, 'you may want to find some place else to walk today." And I said why? And she said, 'there's a man down there flashing."

Police believe the man involved in the July 31 incident is the same man behind the August 7 assault.

Anyone with information was asked to call Colonial Heights Police Department at 804-520-9300.