Search On For Assailant Who Tried To Rape Jogger At Belmont Lake State Park
WEST BABYLON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A female jogger suffered through some frightening moments on a Long Island park recently.
As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, the woman was thrown to the ground by an attacker, but managed to break free. Police late Monday were still looking for the assailant.
At bucolic Belmont Lake State Park in West Babylon, families enjoy paddleboats and lakeside trails. But they were doing so Monday amid some uneasiness after the attack on the jogger three days earlier.
"I will be very cautious when I come with my children and keep alert; watch my surroundings," said park visitor Lilyan Laxton.
Sources said the 24-year-old woman was jogging on the trail on Friday at 9 p.m.
A man grabbed her, covered her mouth, dragged her into the woods, and attempted to rape her. But she fought back, broke free, and ran for help.
"You think it's a safe place that you can come and enjoy with your family," said park visitor Freddie Vasquez.
The attack renewed calls by the Police Benevolent Association of New York State to hire more park police. PBA First Vice President Manny Vilar said on Friday at dusk, no one was patrolling the 460-acre park.
Suffolk County police arrived first. A park police officer had to be dispatched from Robert Moses State Park.
"Many crimes are crimes of opportunity," Vilar said. "Had we had an actual police presence at Belmont Lake that evening, it's safe to say that this woman probably would not have been attacked."
Despite recent hires, Vilar said park police staffing needs to double to safely patrol Long Island state parks
"It's unconscionable that on a hot, sweltering summer evening at dusk, that we have no police officers assigned," Vilar said.
At the park on Monday, three sisters were watching their backs.
"That makes me feel pretty unsafe," said park visitor Christina Gonzalez. "Is that the first time something like this happened?"
The description of the assailant was similar, according to police, to a man wanted in sexual attacks on women last summer. In separate incidents, a woman and a teen were groped.
That man was never caught.
The suspect was described as Hispanic and in his 30s. A Parks Department spokesman would not provide a description of the suspect in the Friday incident, but said investigators are working with local law enforcement and following up on a few leads, and have placed additional patrols at the park as a precaution.
There was no word late Monday on the woman's condition.