Sheriff Describes Tarpon Woods Attack as Isolated

The attack of a female runner in East Lake's Tarpon Woods subdivision appears to be a serious but isolated crime, according to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

"This incident is of great concern to us because it had sexual overtones to it and the type of attack that it was," he said.

On Wednesday, the sheriff revealed new details about the attack, which occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Sept., 26.

Gualtieri says the victim is a long-distance runner who had just finished running 10 miles. She was walking near her home on Brian Road South when she was attacked. Gualtieri described the incident as a battery with sexual overtones.

"He walked up behind her, put her in a chokehold, took her to the ground and groped her breasts," said Gualtieri.

"She was by herself, it's a very safe neighborhood, it's all residential, it's well lit, she was near her house, it's just one of those things. I don't know what else she could have done, or anything she could have done to prevent it," Gualtieri said.

The woman screamed and the man ran away. After the attack, the woman flagged down a driver who took her home. 

Deputy K-9s could only track the suspect's scent for a short distance, which leads detectives to think that the man may have left in a car or may have gone to a home in the subdivision, according to Gualtieri.

The driver who helped the victim saw the attacker and helped detectives create a high-tech composite sketch of the suspect that looks a lot like a photograph.

Detectives are seeking help identifying the suspect. Tuesday evening, they went through the neighborhood knocking on doors and talking with residents.

"We're taking it all very seriously. We're investigating it and we need some information to help us identify who the suspect is," said Gualtieri.

Gualtieri happens to live in the same subdivision where the attack occurred. 

"It's very troubling to us because there is no indication of any crime going on in that area. This is an isolated incident from what we know. There's no reason to be concerned other than there's somebody out there who did this and we need to find him and we need to put him in jail and we need to make sure that this does not happen again."

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has released a description of the suspect-

• 22 years old
• 5-foot-10
• 140 pounds
• Light brown, curly hair that was just below his ears
• The suspect was wearing long, light-grey cargo shorts, no shirt and black tennis shoes without socks. 

If you saw anything that could help detectives or if you have information that can help the investigation, call Detective Jeff Capra at (727) 582-6200.

Previous Coverage-

• Detectives Investigating Alleged Attack in Tarpon Woods
• Tarpon Woods Attack: Detectives Release Sketch of Suspect