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Two women were hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening Tuesday evening after being attacked with a hammer on the Ridgefield Trace bike trail, according to a news release from the McHenry County Conservation District.
About 5:15 p.m., conservation district police responded to a 911 call on the bike trail near the intersection of Oak Street and Crystal Ridge Drive just north of Route 176. The trail runs for about 7.5 miles from Lake Avenue in Woodstock to Walkup Avenue in Crystal Lake.
The two female victims reportedly were attacked by a man and were taken to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, according the release.
The assailant first attacked a woman who was walking on the trail, said Wendy Kummerer, Director of Communications for the McHenry County Conservation District. A second woman who was riding her bike on the path also was injured and struck by the hammer when she tried to help the other victim, Kummerer said. Both women have since been released from the hospital, she said.
The suspect was described as 5-foot-7, mid-50s and a Filipino or Hispanic male. He reportedly was clean shaven and wearing a Green Bay Packers hat with a forest green sweatshirt and dirty jeans, according the release.
The McHenry County Conservation District is investigating the incident. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Crystal Lake Police Department and McHenry County College police also responded.
Crystal Lake police have been actively involved in the investigation from the onset, according to a release from the department sent Wednesday. Crystal Lake’s assistance has included the deployment of additional officers to patrol the bike paths in the city, both on foot and on bicycle.
Anyone with information on this incident should contact a conservation district police officer through the sheriff’s office at 815-338-6223, extension 1210, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Anonymous tips may also be reported to Crystal Lake police by texting “CLPDTIP” along with tip information to 847411.