DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Lumpkin County sheriff's investigators are working to track down a man who sexually assaulted a University of North Georgia student as she jogged around an off-campus reservoir early Wednesday evening.
"She said the male was following her, and when they got on the back side of the trail, he assaulted her. And when it was over, he took off walking and she came back," Lt. Chris Pfrogner said.
The 19-year-old student was jogging alone between 7 and 8 p.m. around the Lake Zwerner/Yahoola Creek Reservoir, which serves the city of Dahlonega. It is located about a mile and a half north of the UNG Campus.
Post-semester students learned about the crime via text and email alerts from university officials.
"It was a definite surprise. We rarely get any emails about public safety. It's once a year, and usually a false alarm," said UNG student Kiley Miller.
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The Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office describes the assailant as a white male, in his late 20s to early 40s, with short brown hair and a short brown beard and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He was wearing a black shirt.
"We have been working this case nonstop since it was reported to us. We've been getting a lot of phone calls from people that thought they had seen something. We are following up on every lead that comes across our desk," Pfrogner said.
Students say they will take extra precautions when jogging or walking in remote areas.
"I usually have someone with me when I go there. It's just a safe practice to have another person with you, for sure,” UNG student Rebecca Blythe said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will work with sheriff's investigators and the victim to develop a composite sketch of the assailant.
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