Mom: Daughter 'ran for her life' after getting away from knife-wielding attacker in St. Augustine

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Officers were actively searching for a suspect Wednesday night in a St. Augustine neighborhood where a college student was attacked during a Tuesday night jog.

Officers began the search after a van matching the suspect vehicle's description was spotted.

Action News Jax’s Danielle Avitable even witnessed officers chasing after that van after her report on FOX30 Action News Jax at 10.

Melanie Fraser said her daughter left the house Tuesday night for a jog but when she came back she was covered in blood.

"She was hyperventilating. She was just a mess," Fraser said.

Once the 20-year-old was able to catch her breath, Fraser said her daughter described seeing a mid-size van with no windows parked on the side of the road. But when she ran past the van, the engine turned on.

"She took her earbuds out because she thought that was odd. The minute she took them out, she got clubbed on the side of the head," Fraser said.

Fraser said her daughter fell to the ground and a man wearing long sleeves and gloves started choking her.

"He had a knife on the other side and he whispered, or she just said he was hushed, muffled, that 'if you scream, you'll die,'" Fraser said.

She didn't scream, but Fraser said she fought back.

"She grabbed the knife by the blade and he pulled it back to get rid of it and that's when she got away and so she just ran for her life and ran home," Fraser said.

Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said she did the right thing -- and in this situation, you should also try to draw attention to yourself.

“You want to, while you’re fighting or in the course of the ordeal, if at all possible, try to make as much noise as you possibly can to bring attention to the situation,” Jefferson said.

The man is described as being about 6 feet tall, weighing about 220 pounds and is described as muscular.

Police are also in the area looking for a dark mid-size older model van. If you see the man or the van, call police.

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