www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 5, 2007 - 5 Cyclist could help bring sexual assailant to justice By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The key to a case involving two women who were assaulted and abandoned at an Oakville park this summer may lie with a witness riding a bicycle. Halton Regional Police are looking for a man who was riding his bike in the early morning of Sunday, Aug. 12 when he came across one of the two 19year-old women involved. Police say she was fleeing `The Parkway' park, located on Bayshire Dr. The witness attempted to assist the victim by calling her a taxi. Police spokesperson Sgt. Peter Payne says they're "very close" to cracking the case. "The investigation is progressing very well, and we are hoping this individual may come forward to give us one of the final pieces of the puzzle," Payne said. "We weren't aware of the sig- nificance of the information this individual may have until very recently." The victims had been in the Toronto area with two men they had recently met. Police say they were intoxicated and their condition suggests they may have also been drugged. Payne said as a result of new information, investigators concluded the women were both physically assaulted before being abandoned in the park between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Aug. 12. Both women suffered minor injuries including scrapes, bruising and minor cuts. After being abandoned, the women fled the park and parted ways, police say. That's when one of the victims met a man on a bicycle at North Service Road, south of Upper Middle. Police say the man called a taxi for her, but the taxi refused to take her because she had no money. Both victims called police later that day and the investigation began. Halton Police are now urging the witness on the bicycle and taxi driver to make contact with investigators to assist in the investigation. The victim assisted by the man on the bicycle is described as a white woman, 19, with blonde hair. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a black mini dress. The second victim is described as a white woman, 19, with brown/blonde hair. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a multi-coloured pink, purple and black mini dress. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 or 905-6341831, ext. 2275 or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222TIPS (8477). www.oakvillebeaver.com Saturday, October 20 th Co-Sponsored by: Town of Oakville Halton Regional Police Service Ontario Trillium Foundation Halton Regional Centre Oakville Arts Council Sheridan College Tickets available at the Oakville Town Hall & Oakville Place $5 in advance, $7 at the door, FREE for children 12 & under Transportation: FREE Shuttle from Noon till 9:00 p.m. From 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at these locations in Oakville: HALTON REGIONAL CENTRE (1151 Bronte Road) OAKVILLE TOWN HALL (1225 Trafalgar Road) KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS (1494 Wallace) SHERIDAN COLLEGE: OPERATING ENGINEERS BANQUET VASHINO THE CAGE DEVI TEMPLE HALL & CONFERENCE CENTRE (1430 Trafalgar Road) (3259 Bronte Road) (2245 Speers Road) FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SCHEDULED EVENTS 905-617-6171 or visit: www.carouselofnations.com