CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – The search continued Thursday morning for a man accused of trying to attack a woman while she was walking her dog in Jennings State Forest.
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the incident happened Tuesday morning. The woman said the man grabbed her arm, but she fought back, and her dog helped scare him off.
A computer-generated composite was released on Wednesday. The suspect is described as white man, 6 feet tall, with scruffy hair, a salt/pepper beard, yellow teeth and a strong odor.
Anyone who recognizes the man in the sketch or has information about the case is asked to contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512 or submit a tip online at www.claysheriff.com/.
Sheriff urges caution
Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook emphasized that Clay County remains a safe place but urged residents to stay alert.
“We live in a safe community, but even in a safe community, sometimes things happen,” Cook told News4JAX on Wednesday. “Anywhere you go, just be prepared, don’t let your guard down.”
Cook said some residents choose to carry a firearm, and she noted that in this case, the victim’s large dog played a role in stopping the suspect.
Cook said people visit the park frequently, but she encouraged anyone spending time outdoors to remain aware of their surroundings and to be prepared.
Protecting yourself
News4JAX also spoke with self-defense instructor James Singletary at the Solid Based Performance Center in Green Cove Springs.
Singletary said he spent 15 years training military members in Dubai, was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and is a 10-time world champion in jiu-jitsu.
Singletary demonstrated how to respond if someone grabs your wrist, saying the goal is to move toward the thumb side to break free — then create distance and get away.
If someone grabs higher on the shoulder, Singletary advised grabbing the outside pinky side, using your other hand to assist, then turning and running.
The sheriff’s office said deputies are continuing their search, and investigators are working on the composite sketch.
You can see more of Singletary’s self-defense advice below: