1 min readA 17-year-old runner in Maryland fended off an attacker in a Montgomery County park yesterday, according to local authorities. The man stopped on Beach Drive to ask the teenager if she wanted a ride. When she refused, he grabbed her and attempted to sexually assault her.
The attack occurred in broad daylight, around 2:30 p.m. After the runner fought the man off, he hopped back in his car and drove north toward East-West Highway. Police are still searching for the assailant, described as a male in his twenties with dreadlocks. He was wearing all white at the time of the attack.
The teenager was taken to a hospital and is physically uninjured. Both the Maryland-National Capital Park Police and the Montgomery County police secured and canvassed the scene on Beach Drive. No arrests have been made, but the Maryland-National Capital Park Police said they would add additional patrol units to the area.
Police say that anyone with information about the assault should contact the Park Police Tip Line at 301-929-2748 or [email protected].
Dan Beck is the deputy news editor at Runner’s World. He has led news coverage teams for major running events like the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Boston Marathon, and New York City Marathon. A former collegiate distance runner at DeSales University, he still enjoys running, just more slowly now. Before coming to Runner’s World, he covered track and field and cross-country at MileSplit. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, where the two like to explore the city’s rich dining scene.
