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Dane Co. Sheriff's Office investigating sexual assault on Oregon bike trail

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Authorities say a man tackled a woman and sexually assaulted her on a bike path in Oregon.

MADISON (WKOW) — The Dane County Sheriff's Office is investigating a sexual assault that took place Thursday afternoon.  

Sheriff's office spokesperson Elise Schaffer said the assault was reported just after 5 p.m. and took place on the Oregon Rotary Bike Trail off of County Highway D. 

Schaffer said the victim was walking on the trail when she was "tackled" by a man and sexually assaulted. She was able to fight him off and get to a nearby home, then transported to a hospital. 

Kaylee Phillips lives at the home and comforted the victim as her father looked for the attacker. Phillips said the victim was distraught.

"She was crying," Phillips said. "She was definitely roughed up."

"That happened in our backyard, and that happened to a woman not much older than I am," Phillips, 18, said. "It could have been me. It could have been my sister, my mom. It's just terrifying."

Schaffer describes the suspect as a white man about 5'10" with a slender build, short dark hair and a short scruffy beard. She said he was wearing jeans and a neon yellow hooded sweatshirt. 

Schaffer said the suspect ran to a nearby parking lot and may have left in a car. Schaffer said investigators recovered evidence at the scene.

Anyone with information on the assault is asked to contact the Dane County Sheriff’s Office tip line at (608) 284-6900 or leave a tip via the Sheriff’s App.

Schaffer said the sheriff's office and the Oregon Police Department are providing extra patrols in the area. 

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