Mail Tribune News - Woman fights off attacker

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2000-09-14

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Woman fights off attacker Police nab suspect 2 minutes after call A Medford motel employee fought off a man who reportedly attacked her and attempted to rape her while she was cleaning a room Monday morning. The 33-year-old employee screamed, kicked at the man and pulled his hair until he fled, said Medford police Lt. Tim George. "She flat out got after it," George said. "She created enough of a scene where he decided that he was going to go elsewhere." The attack occurred about 10:20 a.m. at the City Center Motel at 324 S. Central Ave. in south Medford, George said. The employee was cleaning the room when the man -- who was a guest at the motel -- came in, wrapped a towel around her head and face and said he was going to sexually assault her, George said. They fought for a few minutes and then he ran away. As he was fleeing, a second employee saw the man. Officers arrived shortly after the attack and the victim and the second employee gave police a good description, George said. Police found David Sebastian Pennisi, 30, of 2300 Ford Circle, Medford, walking along the city's railroad tracks within two minutes of the 911 call. Pennisi was arrested on charges of first-degree burglary, attempted rape and fourth-degree assault. He was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on $1,060,000 bail. The victim suffered minor injuries, but didn't require hospital care, George said. "The reason this gal avoided more serious injury and the sexual assault is because of her ... actions," George said. Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA