LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON — Unified police are looking for a man who assaulted a woman who was hiking alone in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
The attack happened about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Unified Police Sgt. Melody Gray said a young adult female was hiking the Temple Quarry Trail when she heard someone coming up behind her.
“I was hit over the head with a branch and I fell forward, I was kind of dazed but this young man tackled me and he got his hands around my throat,” said Talia, who asked that her last name and age not be used.
The woman fought back by kicking and screaming, catching the attention of other hikers in the area, Gray said.
“He got me into a chokehold. I’m still screaming trying to get someone’s attention and finally some women were coming up the trail and they saw him and he looked up and he saw them and he immediately took off into the woods,” Talia said.
The man was described as a white male in his late teens to early 20s, about 6 feet tall and “super skinny,” with long brown hair, according to police. There have not been any other reports of similar attacks in the area.
Talia said it was the first and last time she has hiked alone, and she encouraged other women not to hike alone.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 801-743-7000.
Contributing: Felicia Martinez