Cash reward offered after a female was attacked while hiking

IRON COUNTY, Ill. (KBSI) – The U.S. Forrest Service is asking for the public’s help and offering a cash reward.

The U.S. Forest Service and Iron County law enforcement officers are still investigating after an assault on the Ozark trail on the afternoon of March 23, 2023.  

According to the US forest service a female hiker was hiking on a trail when a white male also walking on the trail hit her in the face and went after her. She was able to fight him off and take off running. She found another hiker a little way down the trail who helped her.

Cody Norris is the public affairs officer for the Mark Twain National Forest, and he says they still have not arrested anyone and they are now offering a reward for anyone with any information.  

“Now our law enforcement is taking this case very seriously and they’ve actually just been able to gather up a reward for 5,000$ dollars for anyone that can provide and actionable information that would lead o a prosecution in this case. They have been pursuing some leads, but they do want the publics help to add any additional information that they might have because they’re going to look at any leads that come in and try to take them to their end and find out what makes sense and try to catch this person,” says Norris.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the forest service office or the Iron County sheriff’s department.

or you can reach Cody Norris at cody.s.norris@usda.gov or detective Chuck Lochart at charles.lochart@usda.gov.