Fayetteville Police are on the hunt for a man who reportedly groped one woman and flashed another early this weekend on the Fayetteville trail system in Washington County.
Fayetteville police say they're looking for a white male of average build, and say when last seen he had bushy brown hair and a beard, and was wearing camouflage plants and a white shirt. Because of incidents like this, police also say even though these trails are lit all night, it's not a good idea to be on the Fayetteville trails alone after dark.
Around 6:40 p.m. on Friday, Fayetteville's Sgt. Creston Mackey says they took a call from a jogger on Fayetteville's Frisco Trail. Dispatch received a call from a woman on the trail system close to Wilson Park who stated that she had been groped by an unknown white male. Not long after that, on the northern end of the trail, on the Gregg and Sunbridge area, same description of the subject, uh, flashed himself, his genitals to another woman."
For many like Johnson resident Anne Eldridge, the Fayetteville trails do feel safe. "It's so crowded! I mean, there are people everywhere so you don't have to worry about feeling unsafe at all. It's definitely safe, for sure. I haven't felt unsafe at all. I mean, there's lighting and everything." Fayetteville resident Bill Hardgrave is an avid biker and runner, and frequently uses the city trail system. There's a lot of people out there, and I think it's generally safe." But some, like biker Mandy Garland, refuse to be on the paths after sundown, "It's pretty dark by 5:30ish. I was out last night and was hurrying to get back to my car because it was getting a little bit dark."
Farmington resident Robert Taylor uses his Sunday afternoons to hit the trails, but he doesn't go alone. "We don't go at night. I don't know. They have some lights that do go through some areas that are fairly well hidden. So I wouldn't do any solo riding or walking, especially females." Hardgrave agrees: "I don't know that I would feel safe for my wife to go through there."
And Sgt. Mackey says, a brightly lit trail might not help if you're alone. "Be very careful when they're out there, especially when they're by themselves! I would never encourage anyone to use the trail system by themselves late at night. Obviously we've had some situations and some cases like these things like what happened Friday evening are beginning to happen, and we don't want those to increase."
Fayetteville's Parks and Recreation is holding a public meeting Thursday about their newest volunteer program; Trail Trekkers. The meeting will be held at 5:30pm in the Walker Meeting Room at the Fayetteville Public Library. It uses volunteers to help educate people on trail safety and etiquette. It also reports maintenance issues, trail users, and safety issues. All trail trekkers will be trained in proper trail etiquette, rules, basic first aid and conflict resolution.
Fayetteville police say they're looking for a white male of average build, and say when last seen he had bushy brown hair and a beard, and was wearing camouflage plants and a white shirt. Because of incidents like this, police also say even though these trails are lit all night, it's not a good idea to be on the Fayetteville trails alone after dark.
Around 6:40 p.m. on Friday, Fayetteville's Sgt. Creston Mackey says they took a call from a jogger on Fayetteville's Frisco Trail. Dispatch received a call from a woman on the trail system close to Wilson Park who stated that she had been groped by an unknown white male. Not long after that, on the northern end of the trail, on the Gregg and Sunbridge area, same description of the subject, uh, flashed himself, his genitals to another woman."
For many like Johnson resident Anne Eldridge, the Fayetteville trails do feel safe. "It's so crowded! I mean, there are people everywhere so you don't have to worry about feeling unsafe at all. It's definitely safe, for sure. I haven't felt unsafe at all. I mean, there's lighting and everything." Fayetteville resident Bill Hardgrave is an avid biker and runner, and frequently uses the city trail system. There's a lot of people out there, and I think it's generally safe." But some, like biker Mandy Garland, refuse to be on the paths after sundown, "It's pretty dark by 5:30ish. I was out last night and was hurrying to get back to my car because it was getting a little bit dark."
Farmington resident Robert Taylor uses his Sunday afternoons to hit the trails, but he doesn't go alone. "We don't go at night. I don't know. They have some lights that do go through some areas that are fairly well hidden. So I wouldn't do any solo riding or walking, especially females." Hardgrave agrees: "I don't know that I would feel safe for my wife to go through there."
And Sgt. Mackey says, a brightly lit trail might not help if you're alone. "Be very careful when they're out there, especially when they're by themselves! I would never encourage anyone to use the trail system by themselves late at night. Obviously we've had some situations and some cases like these things like what happened Friday evening are beginning to happen, and we don't want those to increase."
Fayetteville's Parks and Recreation is holding a public meeting Thursday about their newest volunteer program; Trail Trekkers. The meeting will be held at 5:30pm in the Walker Meeting Room at the Fayetteville Public Library. It uses volunteers to help educate people on trail safety and etiquette. It also reports maintenance issues, trail users, and safety issues. All trail trekkers will be trained in proper trail etiquette, rules, basic first aid and conflict resolution.
