RANCHO SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) - A 24-year-old woman is speaking out after being sexually assaulted during her evening run in a Rancho San Diego neighborhood last Wednesday.
The woman, who asked to be called Michelle for privacy reasons, was attacked while running on Hilton Head Road near Emerald Point Lane around 8:30 p.m.
"I was just confused and scared," Michelle said.
Michelle told me she was about a mile into her run when she slowed down to catch her breath. While listening to music with AirPods, her attacker suddenly approached from behind.
"Pulling me back, basically in a headlock to hold me against his body," Michelle said.
Michelle says the man then sexually assaulted her.
"It came from the backside and went to the front. Probably like 5 seconds long, and that's when he let go," Michelle said.
A stunned Michelle screamed and ran away, only briefly glancing back to see the attacker fleeing in the opposite direction.
"I was terrified. I think was probably screaming the whole way. The only thing in my mind was I need to get home," Michelle said.
After reaching home safely, she reported the assault to the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies released a blurry surveillance image of the suspect, described as approximately 5'6", weighing about 150 pounds, in his mid-20s with short, shaggy brown hair.
The attack comes as investigators are looking into a series of incidents involving a jogger groping women and sometimes exposing himself across San Diego. Police say a man was arrested in one of those incidents, with the City Attorney's Office currently reviewing the case for charges. However, the suspect description in those cases appears different from the Rancho San Diego assault.
The traumatic experience has left Michelle feeling vulnerable.
"There's definitely some trauma attached. I don't feel safe by myself when the sun goes down. I don't feel safe alone," Michelle said.
Michelle hopes sharing her story will generate tips to help authorities find her attacker.
"I do fear he would become more emboldened … He does need to be caught before something else happens," Michelle said.
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