UPDATE: West Shore RCMP with the help of Surrey RCMP arrested 20-year-old Bradley Michael Muscat yesterday on King George Boulevard. Muscat is facing charges of sexual assault with a weapon, robbery, and forcible confinement. He is currently in custody and will be making a court appearance later today.
Previous story:
Victoria-area police are looking for a suspect after a woman in her 20s was sexually assaulted this morning on the Galloping Goose Trail.
West Shore RCMP say the woman was walking alone on the popular trail at 2 a.m. near Jacklin Road when she was grabbed by an unknown man.
She tried to fight the man off, but couldn’t, and was dragged 100 metres down the trail where she was sexually assaulted.
After the attack, the woman was able to flee, flagging down a passing driver.
Police responded quickly along with a police dog, but were unable to locate the suspect.
“Injuries that were sustained are non-life-threatening and she is expected to recover physically,” says Cpl. Darren Lagan with Island District RCMP. “However, the emotional and mental trauma will be there for years, if not for the rest of her life, and we are very aware of that.”
He is described as 5’5″; wearing dark clothes; dark pants with a reflective stripe down the side of each leg; and may have fresh scratches on his arms or upper body.
In recent months, there have been several crime-related incidents along the popular trail, changing the way some people are using it.
RCMP are asking walkers and trail users to be extra aware of their surroundings and travel in pairs or groups, especially after dark, until an arrest is made.
Investigators are urging anyone who may have witnessed a man matching the suspect description in the Jacklin Road area in the evening hours of June 25 to early morning hours of June 26, to contact the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264, or anonymously through Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
“Did you see anyone suspicious, any vehicles that seemed suspicious? Anything that stood out to you? That sort of information may seem insignificant to you but it may be very valuable to the investigators,” says Lagan.
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