Jogger Attacked During Morning Run

The Post reports that a woman running on the West Side managed to escape from a man who tried to rape her this past Saturday morning. According to the police, Jason Washington grabbed the 24-year-old woman from behind around 7AM. He then "fondled her and dragged her to an empty doorway near 12th Avenue and 58th Street."

Luckily, a loud truck "startled or distracted" Washington and the woman ran away and called 911. Washington, who lives at 55 West End Avenue, was captured by the police and charged with attempted kidnapping and sexual abuse.

Given the location, it seems that the woman may have been running near the West Side Highway, which is a popular running location, though around 7AM, that area might be pretty quiet. Here are some safety tips for running outside. Running clubs like the New York Road Runners Club offer ways to find running partners.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 19, 2007 8:19 AM

Comments [rss]

guest

Abusing free speech?

Shithead!

guest

man, if only black people could afford to use computers or smart enough to use the internet, then they could come on the website and defend themselves against all these racist bigots instead of these white guilt liberal posters.

guest

too bad racists aren't really lonely. They've got a gang.

guest

problem ain't going nowhere,

I'm seeing more homeless people and panhandlers lately, only time will tell before they snap and others, too.

oh, hooray for the Dow, it's up.

guest

sad sad lonely racist

guest

I'm training for the marathon and besides central park, the west side highway is easiest place to run, so this definitely sucks. 7am isn't even that early, and there are usually plenty of people out there by then. Glad she got away ok though.

digitam

There are some pretty ugly and racist comments here, which I find utterly disgusting.

Anyway, this story scares me. I run along the West Side all the time. I'm glad to hear this woman got away.

The article mentions NYRR's running partner match up on their website. Nike also has group runs along the West Side on Saturday mornings at 9am and in Central Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30. People really look out for each other in these groups. It's much safer than running alone.

ed_Extinct

get these guys off the street permanently!!!!

guest

This is a tough spot on the West Side Greenway -- a bottleneck with construction and fencing on both sides. Under the H. Hudson viaduct. Kind of zero-visibility in all directions.

I've ridden through here on a bike -- never felt endangered because I didn't see anyone and I'm moving faster than pedestrian speed.

guest

executed then...same stuff

Rocknrope

Run with a neck knife.

guest

Executioned?

guest

what do white escaped convicts do?

oh yeah, they raped a mother and a daughter, while the other daughter watched, then murdered them.

guest

Besides the very stupid comments about equaling rapist to a race generalization (bigotry anybody?), rapists are a burden! not only they are predators, but they don't get reformed...all rapist (including the many white rapist) should be executioned.