MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — A jogger was attacked in broad daylight Tuesday morning in Middleburg, leading to a fight for survival that ended with a man in handcuffs.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says the woman fought off the man and ran to a nearby home for help.
The sheriff’s office says it started around 10 a.m. Tuesday when the woman was jogging along Tynes Boulevard in the Two Creeks area and passed a man she did not recognize.
Investigators say 22-year-old Jayson Thomas grabbed the woman from behind and pulled her into nearby woods. The sheriff’s office says he threw her down and began forcibly removing her clothes.
The woman fought him off, escaped and ran to a nearby home, where residents called 911.
Khoda Moses, who heard about the attack, said self-defense can make a difference.
“I’m glad she has self defense. That’s another big thing, having self defense,” Moses said.
Sheriff Michelle Cook said the victim was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated for minor injuries.
“There’s no easy way to describe the courage that it takes to fight back during such a horrifying and frightening situation,” Cook said.
Deputies and detectives immediately began searching for Thomas. The sheriff’s office says he ran through several backyards, changed his clothes and eventually ran inside a home in the Pine Ridge area.
The homeowners did not know Thomas and confronted him, causing him to run again. Deputies soon caught up with him and took him into custody.
The sheriff’s office says Thomas was arrested within 30 minutes of the 911 call.
Taylor Brooks, who walks in the area, said she and her family use Life360 as a way to quickly call for help.
“My family and I, we all have Life 360 and it has an SOS button on it you can press,” Brooks said.
Tynes Elementary School was also placed on a hold as a precaution while deputies searched for the suspect.
Cook emphasized that the situation had nothing to do with the school.
“This had nothing to do with the school. The hold placed on the school was out of an abundance of caution because we had a subject running in a nearby neighborhood,” Cook said.
The sheriff’s office says Thomas is charged with kidnapping, attempted sexual battery, burglary to an occupied residence and resisting without violence.
Anyone with information about the case, or who believes they may have had a similar experience with Thomas, is asked to contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
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