Montgomery Jogger Raped in Rock Creek Park

A 30-year-old jogger was raped Monday night after being pulled into a wooded area of Rock Creek Park just south of Kensington, marking the second time in the last week a Montgomery County woman has been taken into woods and sexually assaulted, police said.

Investigators are examining whether the events are related, but thus far have found no evidence to that effect.

In the most recent incident, the 30-year-old started her run about 7:45 p.m., wearing a portable music player. As she jogged along a footpath in the area that crosses under Connecticut Avenue, just north of the Beltway, a man came up from behind and grabbed her. After the attack, she was unable to find help from passing motorists, so she walked home to Kensington, and was driven to a local hospital, where she was treated for the assault and trauma to her face, neck and shoulders, police said. She remained hospitalized today.

Earlier, on the night of Aug. 19, a 29-year-old woman was walking in the area of Washington Grove Lane and Emory Grove Road, in Gaithersburg, when a man approached and pulled her into the woods. She, too, was wearing a portable music player.

Police are asking anyone with information about either incident to call 240-773-5070.