Zion woman, 70, attacked on bike path

ZION, Ill. (WLS) -- A 70-year-old woman was attacked on a bike trail near her home in far north suburban Zion, police said.

Officers responded to a report of an elderly woman bleeding on the Robert McClory Bike Path near 33rd Street around 7:15 a.m. Thursday.

Police said they found her on the trail near the 3100-block of Galilee Avenue. They said she had been "brutally attacked."

The victim told police she went walking around 6 a.m. for her morning exercise. She saw a man she didn't know watching her near the bridge over Wadsworth Road. She said she turned around and tried to go back to her home on 30th Street, but never made it.

Investigators said the woman was about 200 yards south of 33rd Street when the man punched her once in the back of the head and twice in the face. The impact knocked her unconscious and caused her to lose several teeth.

Some residents said they plan to avoid the area because it may be too dangerous.

"It's very disturbing because I'm a senior citizen and so is my wife and some of our friends and we used to walk this trail but now they don't," said resident Amos Taylor.

Many neighbors are even more on edge.

"I think we should organize a neighborhood watch," said Ifeanyi Odum, who lives nearby. "And make sure that things like this don't happen because we have kids out here who deserve a better place to live."

She gave police a vague description of the suspect, but police have few leads.

The suspect was riding a bicycle and is described as being between 25 and 45 years old. He was wearing all black clothes and dark-colored sunglasses.

Anyone with information regarding the alleged attack is asked to contact Zion police at (847) 872-8000.