Updated: Thursday, 1:36 a.m.
A woman told Vernon police that she was attacked by a jogger while walking her dogs on a section of the Rails-to-Trails system on Wednesday evening, Vernon detectives said.
Detectives are calling the attack "sexually motivated" and are considering it an attempted sexual assault.
According to a news release, at 7:14 p.m., the Vernon Police Department received a 911 call from a woman who reported that she was attacked while walking her dogs on a section of the Vernon Rails-To-Trails network.
Several police officers were dispatched to the scene.
The 30-year-old woman was walking on a section of the trail between Route 30 - known locally as Hartford Turnpike - and Center Road, police said.
The woman told police that, while she was walking, she noticed a jogger coming toward her. The jogger ran past the woman and then approached her from behind, police said.
The jogger "made a few comments" to the woman and then attacked her, police said in a news release.
The jogger knocked the woman to the ground and pinned her down, police said.
The woman fought with the jogger while screaming for help and the jogger tried to prevent her from yelling, police said.
The jogger then let go of her and ran off, last seen running toward Route 30, police said.
The suspect was described as a white male who seemed to be in his late 30s, between 5-foot-9 and 6-feet tall with a thin build. The suspect had gray hair with a short crew cut-style haircut, police said. He was wearing a mostly plain white T-Shirt and dark-colored athletic shorts, police said.
The area was searched by officers with the assistance of an canine unit from the East Hartford Police Department, a news release states. Police said the search was "thorough" but it was unsuccessful at locating the suspect.
The suspect may frequent the Rails-To-Trails system, police said.
"It is likely that someone may have seen this suspect on the Rails-To-Trails prior to the incident or after the incident," Det. James Grady said.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Vernon Detectives at 860-872-9126. Callers may remain anonymous, police said.
Police said they will likely release more case details on Thursday.
Attached is a police sketch of the suspect.
