For the second time this summer, a woman was sexually assaulted while on a Portage County bike trail in Deerfield Township.
"We are very concerned. We want this to be over," said Lynne Duchon with the Berlin Lake Association.
The sheriff's department said a woman was riding her bike on the trail at about 7:30 p.m. Monday when she was stopped, grabbed and dragged into the woods by a man who ran out of them.
Investigators say he grabbed and held her by the neck and sexually assaulted her.
"She was sexually molested," Sheriff Doak said.
She was robbed of her bicycle, jewelry, a handbag, clothing items and her cell phone while on the Deerfield Hike and Bike Trail.
Authorities say, like in the first assault, the woman was left naked.
"We are urging anyone who's using that hike and bike trail, please don't go out there alone," said Sheriff David Doak.
Authorities said this attack is "very similar" in nature to the one that occurred on June 14 when a woman was attacked on her bicycle while riding along the Berlin Hike and Bike Trail.
"We are very concerned about this," Sheriff Doak said. "It seems to be escalating."
The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-30s to early 40s with a medium build who weighs approximately 180 to 200 pounds. The attacker was wearing dark clothing, a hat and a mask at the time of the incident.
"We are doing everything we can right now to get this person apprehended," the Sheriff said.
The sheriff's department is asking anyone who was on the trail between 5-7:30 p.m. and saw anyone matching that description to call them at 330-296-5100.
"The worst thing you can do is to not come to the trail," Duchon said. "The biggest thing we can do is to keep coming out and take back this trail."
