ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A woman who was jogging Saturday along Doctor's Lake Drive in Orange Park was attacked by a man but managed to fight her way free and escape, running to the Orange Park Police Department.
A sketch released by police described the man as being in his mid-20s to early 30s, 6 feet tall, weighing 150 pounds, wearing a camouflage shirt and possibly of Mediterranean or Hispanic descent.
Though the woman managed to get away safely, officials said that isn't always the case and it's important for joggers, especially women, to know what to do to stay safe.
Erick Alfaro, chief instructor at Warrior Krav Maga and Kickboxing Center, said it's important to be aware of your surroundings all the time. He said a criminal typically doesn't have an alternate plan; he has an alternate victim, and that's why it's important to maintain your personal space and be ready in case something does happen.
"Anyone has a possibility of being attacked. Crime doesn't discriminate between race, sex and social class. So we shouldn't be negligent to that possibility but look for ways to increase our safety and survival," Alfaro said.
As a self-defense instructor, Alfaro has studied attacks like these for years and said that attacks often come from behind.
"We cannot fight with someone to our rear, so we have to initiate some sort of combative," he said. "So we use our knees, elbows, uppercuts and back kicks whatever we can to create enough space so we can turn and face the threat head on."
Alfaro pointed out three major types of attacks and tips on what it takes to get out of those situations.
The first is the bear hug, where an attacker comes up behind a victim and wraps their arms around the victims arms and torso. Alfaro said the best idea is to turn and rotate your body while you swing your elbows to try and hit your attacker
He said the number one goal is to devastate the attacker as quickly as possible and then get away.
According to Alfaro, the next scenario is a chokehold.
While jogging, an attacker comes up from behind the victim and tries to choke him or her. In this case, the victim should reach up and grab the attacker by the wrists to keep from being choked, then try to kick or hit the attacker in the groin, kick them, try to hit them in the face and run away.
If the attacker throws a victim to the ground, Alfaro said the victim needs to fight back in any way they can to disable the attacker and then run away.
"Real-life combat is very violent and dirty. To succeed at it, we must be willing to respond at that level. And then our ultimate goal is to evacuate the danger zone. We're never trying to stay and fight or hold and fight, especially since we train a lot of woman here, the ultimate goal is to get away," Alfaro said.
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said it's also a good idea not to wear headphones or listen to music while running, so you can hear if someone is coming up behind you.
As difficult as it may be not to jog or bike with a pair of headphones, Smith said it really is better to not listen to music. Smith also said it's a good idea to change up your jogging route from time to time.
When jogging or biking, carry either mace or pepper spray. Using it on an attacker can give you the time you need to get away.
Contrary to what some may say, Smith doesn't recommend carrying a weapon like a pocket knife, because if the attacker got a hold of it, the attacker could use it against you.
"Nike also makes running outfits that have a whistle attached so you can make a loud noise," Smith said. "That's the key. Any type of attack is to scream or make a loud noise. Or if you have a whistle, that's going to draw someone's attention."
As police continue their investigation into Saturday's attack, they are asking anyone who can help identity the man to call the Orange Park Police Department at 904-264-5555.