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2nd attack in Ashland shakes SOU University will start escort system Sunday By DANI DODGE ASHLAND -- A man in a ski mask wielding a knife groped and robbed a Southern Oregon University student early Friday as she walked to her dorm room. The second attack on a woman in Ashland in two weeks, the robbery is "a wake-up call," SOU security director Joey Ngan said. Campus security is beefing up patrols. A limited system to escort students on campus will begin Sunday. "This is a very rare occurrence, not just on campus, but in Ashland," Ngan said. "It's unfortunate another incident occurred." At 12:30 a.m. Friday, a 19-year-old SOU student was on Indiana Street near Siskiyou Boulevard when a stranger in a ski mask grabbed her from behind. He called her names and threatened her with a knife before pulling her toward some construction trailers. Once near the trailers, he groped her under her clothes and then reached into her pocket and stole cash. He fled on foot toward Siskiyou Boulevard. Ashland police Capt. Lisa Brooks said she couldn't remember another case in Ashland like this one where a stranger accosted and robbed a woman on the street. The robber is described as a white male, 5-foot-10, medium build, wearing dark clothing and white tennis shoes. Ashland police are asking anyone with information on the crime to call them at 482-5211, or the tips hotline at 552-2125. This was the second attack in two weeks in Ashland. Shortly before 9:30 p.m. Nov. 3, a man raped a 22-year-old woman near the Ashland Library. James Jeffrey Neill, 47, of Talent, was arrested on a rape charge in connection with the case and is being held in the Jackson County Jail on $1 million bail. Neill is being investigated for two other 1997 cases also, a rape and an assault. "There are enough similarities, we are looking at him in connection with the 1997 cases," Brooks said. "We'd love to be able to solve these." Police are waiting on the results of DNA testing that may connect him to the crimes. After the Nov. 3 rape, SOU campus security officers sent out a campuswide e-mail telling students and faculty about the attack and giving safety tips. Ngan expected to send out another campuswide e-mail Friday. Both Friday's attack and the rape last week have caused concern among women on campus, said Robin DeBates, the director of the campus Women's Resource Center. "We are trying to make sure people are not responding with hysteria, but responding realistically," DeBates said. "We are encouraging people to think, `Maybe I do need to stay on the well-lit path, even though it's longer than the shortcut. Maybe I do need to call a friend."' But she emphasized that assaults do happen, and they are not the fault of the victim, wherever she or he might be. The Women's Resource Center has a library of material that deals with personal safety; these materials may be checked out by both students and community members. The center also is coordinating the escort system with campus security. The program had been in place in previous years but faltered this year for lack of volunteers. New volunteers are now being trained and escorts will be available on campus from 7 to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Students interested in the service can call 890-2856 once it begins on Sunday. Brooks recommends people follow the same safety precautions they should always consider: buddy-up while walking at night, follow instincts, be aware of surroundings, and stay in well-lit areas. "You always need to be cautious," she said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA