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Jogger sexually assaulted exercising in Forest Park

By Tien-Shun Lee

A 39-year-old woman who was jogging in Forest Park in the vicinity of Freedom Drive at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday was sexually assaulted by a man who fled the scene after she fought him off, said police.

Police described the man as black, in his 20s, and about 5 feet 8 inches. He was wearing a white tank top, dark pants and white sneakers.

The man grabbed the woman by the neck with a white cloth, forced her to the ground, injuring her in the process, and then sexually abused her, according to police. He fled after she scratched him.

No arrests have been made so far, said police.

The woman was taken to North Shore Hospital in stable condition for evaluation, police said.

Police said the Forest Park incident was not related to two other sexual assaults that took place within the 102nd Precinct, which covers Richmond Hill and Ozone Park.

The two other incidents, which are believed to be connected to each other, occurred on Aug. 7 at around 10:30 p.m. and July 17 at around 11:45 p.m., said police.

On Aug. 7, a man described as a 5-foot-3, 170-pound Hispanic approached a woman who was talking on her cell phone from behind, grabbed her by the throat, placed his hand over her eyes and demanded money, said police.

He then dragged the woman, who was on Kew Gardens Road, into some nearby bushes and attempted to undress her, said police.

The man fled after the woman screamed, said police.

On July 17, a suspect described as a 5-foot-2, 135-pound Hispanic man with a round face, approached a woman as she was talking on her cell phone in front of her home at 82nd Avenue and Grenfell Street, said police.

The man put his hand over woman's mouth and held a knife to her throat, said police. He then dragged her near the side of a house, demanded money and sex, and forcibly raped her before fleeing the area on his mountain bike, police said.

Police have asked anyone with information on these incidents to call 1-800-577-TIPS.

There have been two rapes in the 102nd Precinct so far this year, according to the NYPD. The number is down 26.3 percent from last year, when 19 rapes were reported during the same time period.

Reach reporter Tien-Shun Lee by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com, or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 155.