Suspect Wanted For Inappropriately Touching Women On Columbia Pathways
COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ)— Howard County Police have increased bike patrols on pathways in Columbia after three women reported being inappropriately touched by a man.
In each case, the women say the man touched them inappropriately and then fled the scene.
Police say on Aug. 25, a suspect talking on a cell phone approached a woman as she walked in the area of Oakland Mills Road near Dobbin Road, touched her inappropriately and ran off.
Earlier in the month, police received two similar reports. On Aug. 9, a woman reported that she was jogging on a footpath near Majors Lane when a suspect ran past her and touched her inappropriately. Two days earlier, on a nearby footpath off of Old Montgomery Road on Aug. 7, a woman reported that a man ran up behind her as she was jogging, grabbed her inappropriately and fled.
In each of these three cases, the suspect is described as a black male in his 20s or 30s with short hair, clean shaven, medium build, approximately 5'10" and 170 lbs. He has been seen wearing a dark T-shirt and shorts that appeared to be running clothes, and a white polo-style shirt with trim.
In a recent unrelated incident, a woman reported she was running on the Patuxent Branch Trail near Iron Bridge Road in Jessup on Aug. 15 when she was approach by a male teenager who grabbed her arm. She pulled away and fled. That suspect is described as a white male, approximately 16 years old, blonde hair, wearing a gray T-shirt, khaki shorts and gray Nike shoes. The case is still being investigated.
Police believe there may be other victims who have not reported these incidents.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Howard County Police.
