Police step up Rock Creek patrols after sexual assault

July 23, 2009 - 9:26am

WASHINGTON - U.S. Park Police are stepping up patrols in Rock Creek Park after a man sexually attacked a woman who was jogging.

The assault occurred around 7 a.m. Wednesday on a running path near the Milkhouse Ford area, south of Bingham Drive and north of Joyce Road.

U.S. Park Police say a Hispanic man grabbed the woman, pulled her into the woods and sexually assaulted her.

The suspect is described as in his 30s, between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-10, with a stocky build and wavy, black, shoulder-length hair.

He was unshaven, smelled of alcohol and was seen talking to himself before the attack.

Police say he was wearing a cotton T-shirt and jeans.

"With that good description that we have, we think that we have a good chance of being able to develop a suspect from this," Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser said. "We're looking for anyone who had been in the area walking their dogs or jogging or something and may have seen something. If they could give us a call, that would be very helpful."

If you have any information, police ask you to call the U.S. Park tip line at 202-610-8737. The police do have the ability to translate calls in foreign languages.

Rock Creek Park has been no stranger to criminal activity.

In 2001, Chandra Levy disappeared while jogging there. Her remains were found the park a year later.

Ingmar Guandique, who has been charged in Levy's death, has been serving a 10-year sentence for two other attacks in the same park.