Attack on trail in Littleton serves as reminder for hiking safety

A 29-year-old woman was attacked on the South Platte Trail Trail in Littleton Wednesday — strangled from behind, dragged into the trees, hog-tied and gagged.

When her attacker’s glasses fell off, Vanessa Ursini took advantage of the situation and untied her feet, running for her life.

She found Mark Jennings of the main trail moments later, who helped her get untied. But then the alleged attacker showed up.

“This man comes walking out of the woods and I said, ‘What are you doing in there?’ And he said, ‘Exploring'” said Jennings.

He ended up following the man, Johnny Harris, until he was arrested. It turned out that Harris was also a registered sex offender.

We spoke to several people on trails in Colorado Springs to see how they ensure their own safety while hiking.

“I’ve seen some homeless people on the trail who’ve approached me asking for things,” said one man. “You want to be nice to people but at the same time, you want to keep your own safety in mind.”

One woman told us she rarely has music in and makes sure she’s always keeping an eye on her surroundings.

Irene Okuyama Andreassen, an instructor at the United States Karate Academy, says that’s the best tactic.

“You don’t want to be in the situation in the first place,” she said. “But you do want to be aware of your surroundings and pay attention and don’t let anyone get too close.”

If you do find yourself in a bad situation, Irene says to aim for the soft spots, which usually include the eyes, neck, and groin.