Police ID Car Of Person Of Interest In Suffolk Trail Attack

PORT JEFFERSON STATION, NY — Suffolk police on Tuesday night released photos of a car driven by a person of interest in an attack on a woman on the Greenway Trail in Port Jefferson Station earlier this month.

The car, a dark-colored Hyundai Elantra with a sunroof, was driven by someone investigators want to speak with, police said. The driver is not the accused attacker, police said.

A 54-year-old woman was walking the trail about a quarter-mile from the eastern entrance in Port Jefferson Station at around 11:30 a.m. Oct. 21 when a man tackled her from behind, police said. She was knocked to the ground by her attacker, who put his hand over her mouth and made sexual comments, police said. The woman screamed as another walker approached and the man ran off toward the trail entrance, police said.

The man was described as black, in his 30s, approximately 5 feet, 10 inches and heavyset, police said. He was wearing a black sweatshirt with green sweatpants with a black stripe down the side. The woman was not injured.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the incident to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.