By Jesse Wood
Investigators are looking for a 50-year-old white male in connection to reports of a 64-year-old woman found tied to a tree along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Craggy Gardens.
On Thursday at 1:30 p.m. a person identifying herself as a caretaker for the woman called 911. The caller said she had received texts from her friend about changing hiking plans and then other messages about an emergency, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times, which noted that the woman is prone to seizures.
The woman was found by authorities and transported to Mission Hospital. She is alive, but any injuries that she sustained in the assault have not been released, according to the report.
In a release, the National Park Service stated that it was investigating a “possible assault” that occurred in the vicinity of Craggy Gardens: “We do not have reason to believe this incident was anything other than an isolated event. All visitor facilities in the area remain open.”
See info below about the suspect and a prior release:
NPS investigators have assembled information regarding a possible suspect description and ask again that any information be shared via the Tip Line at 888-653-0009.
Suspect information: White male, approximately 50 years old, with salt and pepper hair. Believed to have partially grown in (scruff and unkept) facial hair. Believed to be wearing a light or faded grey short sleeve T-shirt, baggy blue pants that appear to be old and faded, and a dark pair of tennis shoes. Additionally, the subject may appear and smell of a musty odor of being unwashed in several days.
National Park Service Rangers on the Blue Ridge Parkway are currently investigating a possible assault that occurred in the area of Craggy Gardens on Thursday afternoon, May 12, 2016.
NPS investigators are interested in receiving any information related to suspicious persons, behavior or activity around Craggy Gardens and along the Mountains to Sea Trail in that area between 12:00 noon and 4:00 PM on Thursday May 12, 2016.
Any person who may have information believed to be of interest to the investigation are urged to call the NPS investigative tip line at 888-653-0009.
We do not have reason to believe this incident was anything other than an isolated event.
All visitor facilities in the area remain open.
Additional information related to this case will be shared as it becomes available.