A canvass of residents in the West Carson City neighborhood of a jogger attack has uncovered a witness who heard tires screeching away from the scene, but little more has been learned in the hunt for the attacker.
A 48-year-old Carson City woman told police she was jogging about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Minnesota and Washington streets when she saw a vehicle with its headlights off pull into the parking lot of a dentist's office there.
Carson City Sheriff's Sgt. Bob White said the woman was suspicious of the vehicle, but continued her jog. Then the man jumped out of the vehicle "and came at her very quickly from across the street."
The man dragged the woman across the street and was trying to shove her into his car, demanding sex, when she bit his hand as he held it across her mouth to keep her quiet, White said.
The man then let the victim go and got back into his car and raced from the scene, White said.
Detective Cate Summers said Friday the woman believes the attacker is the same man who followed her one morning in October.
In that instance, Summers said, the man pulled into the same parking lot. As the woman neared about 7:15 a.m., he yelled out to her as she passed and exposed himself.
The woman said she ran faster to get away from him and he jumped into his vehicle and followed her as she ran. It wasn't until she ran onto the grounds of the Governor's Mansion on Mountain Street and stood next to a marked Nevada Highway Patrol vehicle that he drove off.
The woman told police she never reported that incident.
Summers said the woman described her reaction to the assault as being "almost in shock." An hour passed between the time of the attack and when she finished her jog and called police.
Summers was knocking on doors in the neighborhood Friday and learned one person had heard car doors slamming and tires screeching about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The suspect was described as a Hispanic or black man, ranging in age from 20 to 25. He was about 6 feet tall, clean shaven, with short dark hair and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt.
The vehicle was described as a newer car, gray or silver in color and similar in design to a Honda Accord. The woman was unable to give police a license-plate number.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Carson City Sheriff's Department at 887-2020, ext. 1400; or the dispatch center's nonemergency number at 887-2007.
Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
