Walker fends off attacker on Seminole Wekiva Trail
Attack on Seminole Wekiva Trail foiled
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office says a woman was out walking on the Seminole Wekiva Trail when a man with his pants down grabbed a woman and started thrusting against her. She was able to get away, started screaming at him, and even chased after him as he ran off.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office says a woman was out walking on the Seminole Wekiva Trail when a man with his pants down grabbed a woman and started thrusting against her.
She was able to get away, started screaming at him, and even chased after him as he ran off.
People who frequent that trail were shocked by the news.
"It always feels safe, so this kind of thing shakes you up a little bit," said Russell Mavrides.
A woman named Linda Delahoz, who runs on the trail nearly every morning, says she purposely goes during the day or brings a buddy just to make sure she’s safe.
"Altamonte is not a small city anymore, it’s a big city, so you’ve got to adapt to it," said Delahoz.
The Sheriff’s Office says the attacker got away on a bike he’d stowed nearby.
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The victim described him as being young: around 16 or 20 years old, the woman estimated. He has shoulder-length dark, curly hair, and was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, dark shoes, and dark basketball shorts.
Brenda and Russell Mavrides say they won’t be walking the trail when it starts to get dark anymore.
"We’ve lived here for 15 years and never heard of anything like that happening around here. So that’s pretty disturbing," said Russell Mavrides.
This isn’t the first time a jogger has been attacked on the Wekiva Trail in Altamonte Springs.
In September of last year, around 8:45 p.m. just like the recent attack, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office arrested 19-year-old William Stamper for tackling, biting, and trying to rape a woman on West Wekiva Trail.
"I walk it almost every day at lunchtime, and it’s pretty desolate at that time," said Brenda Mavrides. "I’m always looking back and forth to see if there’s somebody around and knowing my surroundings because I always want to be aware. But you think at noon that you’re safe."
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office says it’s increased patrols in the area to keep people safe.
Detectives also say they have leads they’re working on right now.