Montgomery County, Maryland, police arrested a man who is accused of armed sexual assault and robbery Tuesday in Silver Spring.
It was shortly before 3 p.m. near Burnt Mills East Park off Columbia Pike, when a man with a knife came up to two women eating lunch along the Northwest Branch Trail, police said.
Lt. Charles Smith with Maryland-National Capital Park Police said the man told the two women he intended to rob them.
“They were cooperative but he took one of the ladies and assaulted her,” Smith said.
Both women had items taken from them.
Following the attack, the women were able to call for help after the man ran off.
Smith said when police officers arrived, they began searching by ground and air for the man. Finally, over an hour after the attack and robbery, a woman in a nearby neighborhood called police to report a suspicious person. Police said they established a perimeter in the area and eventually caught the suspect on Devere Drive.
“He was able to make it some distance but we were successful in the end,” Smith said.
Smith said the woman who was assaulted was taken to an area hospital, but her condition is not known.
Smith said the response was a joint effort between his department, Montgomery County Police and Maryland State Police. He also said, the county’s police department will take the lead on the investigation into what he is calling an isolated incident.
“This is not something that occurs. Not on a regular basis, not on a monthly basis not even on a yearly basis. It’s very rare,” he said.
Montgomery County Police said they intend to reveal more details about the case and the man who was arrested, on Wednesday.
