$2,500 reward for arrest of Bridgewater, NJ park rapist

BRIDGEWATER — A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for the sexual assault of a woman at Duke Island Park on July 18.

The woman told police she was riding her bike around 9 p.m. and stopped to use her cell phone at which point an unknown man came up behind her and held a knife to her throat, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

He asked for money after which he sexually assaulted her in nearby bushes before leaving the area on a bicycle riding in the direction of Raritan Borough.

Crime Stoppers of Somerset County is offering a $2,500 reward. Anyone with information can contact the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Sex Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100, the Bridgewater Township Police Department at 908-722-4111 or via the STOPit app.

Police said he was described as between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 6 inches, 150 to 175 pounds, with a medium to stocky build and an olive to dark skin complexion. The suspect was said to be roughly in his 30s, with short black hair, and was last seen wearing a black hooded shirt and dark pants.

Duke Island Park is a 343-acre county park along the Raritan River with a visitor center, several bike paths, picnic groves and a softball field.

Previous reporting by Erin Vogt was used in this report

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ