Deputies locate second woman confronted by Ollie’s Pond attacker

Detectives say they have found a second woman Friday who is believed to have had an encounter with a male attacker at Ollie’s Pond Park in Charlotte County.

Thursday, we reported a woman was running along York Avenue 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 man attacked her.

The victim, who is suffering from minor injuries, was able to get away from the person. The unknown man was wearing a gray hoodie and pants with a knit ski mask.

Deputies believed this was not an isolated incident, but detectives were able to locate another victim Friday. And it’s being linked to the same male attacker.

Locals who use the park say it’s normally an enjoyable place to visit.

“Such a great place to be out and about with nature and wildlife,” said Gary Wilke in Port Charlotte. “It’s a great spot for birders and for walkers and stuff.”

Many joggers and bikers such as Jack and Nancy Lazarowitz enjoyed the park in pairs Friday, since the news of two separate attacks at Ollie’s Pond that are now linked.

“I don’t want this to be known for this tragic situation,” Nancy said. 

The woman reportedly attacked while she was jogging said a man tried to carry her into a nearby wooded area, but she was able to escape the attacker with minor injuries.

The woman who came forward Friday said she experienced a similar encounter with a male attacker near the park around dusk two weeks ago.

“It is a bit shocking to have it so close to you,” Wilke said. 

Detectives plan to sit down with the second woman to come forward Saturday to gather more information. The sheriff’s office is also looking through hours of surveillance recordings collected from nearby homes, and detectives hope it can provide a better description of the attacker.

To help add a sense of security and improve the effort to find the 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.

Anyone with information related to these incidents can contact CCSO Detective Cox with the major crimes unit at 941-575-5361. He wants to speak with anyone who observed the attacker or may have captured footage of the man, per the press release.