Assault victim shook up, but will keep running

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Mobile Police continue to look for a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a female jogger Saturday morning.

Police say a man approached and grabbed a female jogger Saturday morning in the Savannah Trace neighborhood off Grelot Road, his photo was captured on a surveillance camera just moments after the crime.

The victim spoke about the attack to FOX10 News on Sunday.

“I don't like to think of the what-ifs, you know nothing else happened, but that is what kept me so emotional what if he had taken me, what would my family have done... Sorry, what if he had hurt me worse,” said the victim, who asked not to be identified.

It took place around 9 in the morning Saturday, in front of several houses. The victim said the man violently groped her breast.

She now considers herself lucky.

Residents out walking Sunday evening said they will no longer let their kids run around alone, until the suspect is off the streets.

“I was scared,” said Mary-Kay Enger, as she walked the neighborhood with two friends; they plan to walk as a group from now on. “Very scary, to think it's that close to home and they could do that and be that bold in broad daylight,” said Enger.

The 5'6" female jogger was running 10 miles; training for an upcoming marathon.

She ran around Springhill Park, headed west and then east on Grelot Road, departed the main road and ran through several neighborhoods before making her way back to Grelot and turning North on Sutton Court.

She heard loud footsteps approach her from behind and running etiquette told her to move aside for the sprinter, but this man was not exercising.

The victim said, when she turned to her left the man ran at her and grabbed her chest. She screamed and fought him off. She said the man ran away, but a neighborhood surveillance camera captured his image.

“Instinct didn't let me shut down, instinct was like get away and fight,” said the victim.

She sat down, cried, and then called 911.

“I was sobbing at that point I kind of started uncontrollably convulsing because I was in so much shock and I was like I can not believe this just happened, like why me,” said the victim.

She said minutes passed before she saw another person. Two female joggers finally came to her aid, one of whom had witnessed the suspect earlier.

Later that day, the victim, whom keeps a blog about running, wrote all about the experience.

“For me, one it was an outlet for me to get the entire thing out to talk about it and also to make other female runners aware of how easy it happened,” said the victim.

Asked if she will run again, the victim said, “Oh yeah, I'll be running [Monday], I was just too tired to go today.”

She plans to join a running group and let family know where she'll be going.