Unknown man attacks woman jogging near Ollie’s Pond in Port Charlotte

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Credit: WINK News.
Charlotte County neighborhood near Ollie’s Pond Park in Port Charlotte, where a woman was attacked by a man wearing a ski mask during her morning jog, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019. Credit: WINK News.

A female runner was attacked during her Thursday morning jog. Now, deputies need your help to find the aggressor.

The woman was running along York Ave. between Gobron and Sudbury streets near Ollie’s Pond around 6:45 a.m. According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office press release, an unknown person attacked her.

”I was very shocked because I walked a couple laps across this park several times,” neighbor Cozi Ingerham said.

The victim, who is suffering from minor injuries, was able to get away from the person. The unknown male was wearing a gray hoodie and pants with a knit ski mask. Deputies believe this is not an isolated incident. A similar attack took place two weeks ago at dusk to a separate victim.

Jeff Faro said he noticed a mysterious person after the separate incident the sheriff’s office reported.

“Threw his bike down in front of my house, and he was just going crazy,” Faro said. “I had to call the cops actually.

To help add a sense of security and improve the effort to find unknown man, CCSO plans to increase patrols to the area. We asked the sheriff’s office if they will release a police sketch of the man, but they told us they won’t, since the he was reportedly wearing a ski mask.

The other person attacked has not formally come forward to report the incident to the sheriff’s office, so law enforcement hopes they will do so to aid in their investigation.

If you have any information on this crime, please contact CCSO Detective Cox in major crimes at 941-575-5361. He needs to speak with anyone who observed the person, the press release states, or may have captured footage of the man.

Ingerham like many neighbors who enjoy the trails near Ollie’s Pond Park are on the lookout.

“My pepper spray with me, and I have a walking stick that my husband carved for me before he passed,” Ingerham said.

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