JULINGTON CREEK, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office has closed the case of a woman who was attacked at Julington Creek Plantation Park in January, because of a lack of leads and physical evidence.
According to Sheriff's Office, a young man or possibly a teenager hit a 39-year-old woman over the head about 7:15 p.m. as she was leaving the bathroom the park, which is just off Race Track Road.
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The woman, who was on the phone with a friend when she was hit, fell to the ground, and the attacker hit her several more times until she called for help and he ran off, deputies said.
Deputies used a K-9 officer to try to track the woman's attacker, described as a high-school-aged white male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, but had no luck. Deputies said several sporting events with hundreds of people in attendance were happening in the surrounding fields, but no one at those events saw the attack.
The woman suffered a cut to the right side of her head and needed more than 40 stitches at Baptist South Hospital, her uncle said.
Deputies released 911 calls from the attack, which revealed a chaotic situation as a dispatcher talks a friend and witness through ways to apply pressure to the woman until officers arrived. Unfortunately, neither saw the attacker's face.
According to both callers, the area where the woman was attacked was poorly lit. Since then, a light has been placed in the area.
St. Johns County spokesman Michael Ryan said Monday that the JEA lights that were out at the time of the woman's attack have been fixed. He said the county has been working with the sheriff's office to install safety measures, but can't reveal what those are at this time.
The woman's family has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the attacker. To send a tip, email rewardinfo@usa.com.
Deputies said the case could be reopened if leads are generated.