Easton Police remind public of city ordinance after jogger sexual assault

For a sunny afternoon, Easton’s Rails to Trails path did not have a lot of foot traffic on Tuesday, two days after a jogger was sexually assaulted.

Police say it’s the first incident on the path in at least fifteen years.
“This is rare, this is very rare,” says Lieutenant Gregory Wright with the Easton Police Department. “There’s definitely people that are concerned.”

Police say a 27-year-old man was running in an area behind the Board of Education around 10:30 PM on Sunday night when two men approached him and forced him off the trail into a nearby wooded area. One of the men reportedly displayed a knife and forced him to perform a sex act.

After that, police say the victim was beaten in the head until he was rendered unconscious. Lieutenant Wright says an examination was done for forensic evidence to suggest that he was sodomized.
“At first I was kinda shocked, but then I heard that it took place at 10:30 at night,” says Chris Pittman, an Easton resident who frequently walks on the path with his family.

According to police, there is a town ordinance that prohibits anyone from using the path at that time, or anytime between dusk and dawn.

While some park-goers say they never felt unsafe, they also say they would never go after dark.
“You don’t come out here by yourself late at night,” says Wayne Morgan, an Easton resident. “That’s when something weird happens.”

Easton Police are reminding residents to obey that dusk-til-dawn ordinance, be aware of your surroundings, and use a “buddy system” while on the trail.

But what they do not want people to do — is avoid the trail completely.

“Do not be discouraged, just use safe crime prevention tactics.”

Police still have a very limited description of the two supects, which includes two men wearing dark-colored hoodies. They are asking anyone with any information to call 410-822-1111.