Janesville bike trail attacks could be related
Podcast Episode
Two assaults, 3 years apart, have Janesville police concerned about the possibility of more attacks on the bike trail system. An incident from May 2007 bears a lot of similarities to an incident a few weeks ago on Janesville's bike trails. Kyle Geissler reports. You can read more in Friday's Janesville Gazette.
Photo 
Artist rendering of a man suspected in two different attacks on the Janesville bike trail. The most recent attack came in early 2010.
To help
Anyone who sees suspicious behavior on the bike trail or who has information about the assaults can call the Janesville Police Department at (608) 757-2244 or Janesville Area CrimeStoppers at (608) 756-3636.
People also can text tips to “CRIMES” or “274637” and begin the message with “JACS.”
JANESVILLE — Janesville police said Thursday the same man might have assaulted two teen girls in separate attacks on the bike trail, and they want people to be on the lookout.
“Anytime you have a stranger-on-stranger attack, that’s a heightened level of concern for us,” Deputy Chief Dan Davis said. “We want to heighten public awareness.”
A teen girl was in-line skating May 31, 2007, north of Ruger Avenue when she saw a man sitting on a park bench, he said.
The man hit her from behind after she passed him and knocked her to the ground, Davis said. The man stood over the woman, who fought back.
The man then apologized and fled on foot, he said. The woman reported the assault when she got home.
Nearly three years later, a teen girl was walking on the trail March 12 between Palmer Drive and Main Street when she passed a man walking in the opposite direction, Davis said.
The man then attacked her from behind and punched her several times in the face and head, he said. The man fled on foot.
Both attacks happened in the afternoon, and they are similar in nature, Davis said. The attacker in both cases is believed to be left-handed.
The first woman described her assaulter as a white man in his mid-30s, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall. He had thick, long brown hair and was unshaven. He is believed to be a smoker.
The second woman described her attacker as a white man in his mid-30s to mid-40s, between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall. He weighed about 175 pounds and had a mustache. He was wearing a tan baseball cap, a tan shirt and tan pants, possibly related to a work uniform.
Investigators canvassed neighborhoods and interviewed area sex offenders after the attacks, Davis said. They have no suspects or leads.
People should be aware of suspicious men along the bike trail, he said. Women also should walk in pairs.
Apr 5, 2010 at 6:50 p.m.
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leostime36... EXACTLY! If just the sight of a can of pepper spray will make some jerk think twice... then it works. If that same jerk doesn't think I'd use it.... whoa, try me!
They used to teach defensive driving (well THAT'S another story...) but be armed AND DEFENSIVE when you're in secluded areas. And if someone approaches you and has NO business doing so... SCREAM yer fool head off! Best defense ever!
This gal was hit from behind though... but perhaps we ALL need to pay more attention to our surroundings. Middle of the day is evidently NO deterrent to these creeps!
Apr 4, 2010 at 5:15 p.m.
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If I am being attacked, I will use any pepper spray. I don't care if it is legal or not. I can see myself in court being brought up on charges of using illegal pepper spray on an attacker......really??? If I am able to be in court to talk about it, it is worth it.
Apr 4, 2010 at 4:55 p.m.
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OK, I stand corrected on the pepper spray issue, but janesvillian that vid shows how its supposed to work in Washington, My wife wants to know if she can openly carry her hand gun on the bike paths, or would exercising this RIGHT scare to many sheep?
Apr 4, 2010 at 1:04 p.m.
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cratergrease, Governor Doyle has made no changes to the legality of pepper spray for self-defense, which has been permitted in Wisconsin since 1994. In any case, the legislature is responsible for writing the laws, as this filmstrip explains:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-...
Apr 3, 2010 at 4:43 p.m.
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no, no, no... She was roller blading. You clip it on your belt in front, in PLAIN sight! Not that it would have helped per say, in this situation but maybe???
Apr 3, 2010 at 1:43 p.m.
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Pepper spray up to 10 percent is legal to carry, and to use to defend yourself. It is available at Gander Mountain, and many other retailers in town.
Apr 3, 2010 at 1:40 p.m.
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Mickie- totally agree with you.
Often times while riding on the bike trails though I find myself checking all directions for creeps. It also gives me a little motivation to ride my bike faster because I'm so worried about someone coming after me! So, I like to think I'm escaping creeps and burning more calories at the same time! ;)
Apr 3, 2010 at 12:53 p.m.
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Its so sad when you can`t even take a walk, roller blade, or bike through the trails that Janesville specifically made for this.. I say never go anywhere like this alone, really alone you have very little chance of much.
Apr 3, 2010 at 12:31 p.m.
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Legal or not.... I'd carry pepper spray anyway! If someone knocks you off your feet violently... I'd rather spray the crap outta his eyes and sinuses, and deal with the citation for the pepper spray later!
Apr 3, 2010 at 12:23 p.m.
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He should be easy to spot with such a pale complexion and non-human features.
Apr 3, 2010 at 10:55 a.m.
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Hmmmm. Could be a UPS guy... (tongue firmly planted in cheek)
Apr 3, 2010 at 1:32 a.m.
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actually sarah, inmates who are out on work duty, not huber, do wear tan shirt and pants, but don't think I ever seen them with hats on. The jump suits they wear inside jail, are usually blue or orange. The salvation army gets inmates for help occassionally, and they were all wearing tan.
Apr 2, 2010 at 9:57 p.m.
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In order to have justice you must first be a victom! Unfortunatly our wonderful Govenor decided that the use of non-lethal pepper spray should not be allowed for self defense, It would be nice if people were allowed to legaly defend themselves from these types of attacks, A good dose of pepper spray and an ink stained face might make it easier to ID this thug
Apr 2, 2010 at 9:31 p.m.
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"He was wearing a tan baseball cap, a tan shirt and tan pants, possibly related to a work uniform." Can you say Correctional/Huber work release outfit or is that too obvious.
Apr 2, 2010 at 7:42 p.m.
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It's very strange that these have both been violent assaults, but with no obvious motive such as sexual assault or robbery. It does suggest someone with a rage against women or another psychological reason for these attacks.
Apr 2, 2010 at 6:09 p.m.
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part 2
The victim is an 18-year-old roller-blader skating on the bike trail parallel to the 400 block of Greendale Drive.
She passed the assailant as he smoked a cigarette on a park bench. After skating about 80 yards past the man, she was struck on the head and fell to the pavement, police reported.
The woman then saw the man standing over her and "assumed a defensive position, putting her arms and legs between her and the assailant," Moore said.
After a brief verbal exchange, the victim fled east on the trail. The suspect headed west on the trail toward the intersection of Greendale Drive and Ruger Avenue.
The victim sustained a bump on the head and leg abrasions but did not need medical attention, Moore said.
The conversation between victim and attacker was brief and neutral, not indicating the attacker's motive, Moore said.
But because he did not try to rob the woman and they did not know each other, police suspect that sexual assault was his motive, Moore said.
Thirty-two cops were available because shifts were changing and all detectives and Street Crime Unit officers were working. The woman skated home before reporting the attack. She called police about 2:15 p.m.
The first officers arrived at the bike trail within minutes of her call, and all police assigned were in the area within about half an hour, Moore said.
Because the officers had a large area to secure and had not found the suspect when school was letting out, "we did not want to introduce young people into an unsafe environment, so we coordinated with the school district," Moore said.
"We did not want to let any kids walk home alone."
Four officers were assigned to Harrison to help contact parents. In case adult rides or escorts could not be found for some children, police arranged for a city bus to transport those students with officers on board, Moore said.
School officials said the last student left Harrison about 4 p.m. The bus was not needed.
The DNR warden arrived Thursday evening to help Janesville bike cops patrol the trail system. Bicycle officers were back on the trail this morning with composite sketches of the assailant, looking for possible witnesses.
Street Crime Unit officers are contacting known sex offenders who live near the bike trail.
The assault does not appear related to two other sets of notorious crimes under investigation: Janesville's series of home invasions and rapes and a flasher who was on the bike trail last year, Moore said.
Police encourage trail users to carry cell phones and contact the department if they encounter any suspicious persons or circumstances.
Anyone with information about the bike trail assault should contact Janesville police at (608) 755-3100 or CrimeStoppers at (608) 756-3636.
Apr 2, 2010 at 6:08 p.m.
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I cannot pull up this link.
Maybe it is just me.
I cannot paste the sketch but here is the story:
No arrests made in bike trail battery
(Published Friday, June 1, 2007 11:35:30 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Mike DuPre'
Gazette Staff
JANESVILLE
Police responded quickly and in force Thursday afternoon to a bike trail assault in Janesville, but they hadn't arrested a suspect as of this morning.
Although the victim was not sexually assaulted, police suspect sexual assault was the motive for a man's hitting a woman skater in the head on the bike trail about 2 p.m. So, they flooded the area with officers and made sure all students at nearby Harrison Elementary School went home with parents or responsible adults.
POLICE SKETCH OF SUSPECT
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"Stranger-on-stranger crime is still a unique event in Janesville," Deputy Chief David Moore said this morning. "Yesterday, we had ample staffing to address the situation, and we did."
Thirty-two Janesville officers, a Beloit K-9 team and eventually a warden from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on an all-terrain vehicle scoured the area and patrolled the trail, searching for the assailant.
He was described as white, 5-foot-8 to 6-feet tall, age in the 30s, average build, with thick brown hair and a three-day growth of facial hair, wearing a red shirt with white lettering, khaki shorts and white tennis shoes.
As of this 9:30 this morning, police had not found the suspect or anyone else who saw a man matching his description, Moore said.
The victim is an 18-year-old roller-blader skating on the bike trail parallel to the 400 block of Greendale Drive.
Apr 2, 2010 at 6:05 p.m.
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http://www.gazetteextra.com/biketrailass...
Found it. Is was the 07 attack that posted this sketch. I was looking for a picture of the man I think this is. This is the old online site of the Gazette.
Apr 2, 2010 at 5:34 p.m.
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First woman says "unshaven" This picture is of an unshaven man. This is not a pic of a guy with a mustache as stated by the second lady.
Apr 2, 2010 at 5:31 p.m.
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I am pretty sure this picture is from the first attack long ago. Where is the sketch from the second attack? I think they should do one! I cannot find the article because I don't know if this gazettextra site was up and running then. They switched wedsites.
I could be wrong though. It seems this sketch was on this site.
Apr 2, 2010 at 4:35 p.m.
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frogger
The first woman describes the length of the suspect's hair while the second woman does not comment on hair length. Maybe because the picture speaks for itself regarding the second woman's description. The sketch is from the most recent attack.
Apr 2, 2010 at 4:11 p.m.
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This sketch is from the first attack isn't it?
Where is the long hair?
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