Overland Park Woman Describes Trail Assault, Urges Others to Speak Out

A woman who police say was assaulted on a trail between Nall Park and Roe Park in Overland Park on Monday is now speaking publicly, hoping her account will serve as a warning to other women. Anna Powell told KCTV5 in an on-camera interview that she agreed to be named in order to help others.

"Because what happened to me shouldn't happen to anyone else. Ever. Because I'm a mom and I'm an aunt. I'm a sister. I'm a wife," Powell said. She said she has lived in the area since she was 13 and had never felt unsafe there.

Powell said she was walking near the Roe Park trail around lunchtime on Monday. In her account, a man grabbed her from behind as she turned to head home. She said he put a hand on her head and another on her shoulder, pushed her forward and shoved her face into a tree. She said he then pulled her deeper into the woods.

Powell said she was sexually assaulted but not raped, and that she screamed until a neighbor heard her. She said she walked out to the neighbor, fell into his arms and passed out. She also said she later slept for two hours in her closet one night because she was scared.

Powell is a Shawnee Mission South graduate, and her daughters attend the school. One daughter runs on the cross country team and told her coach what had happened. According to Powell, the team then decided that no child would run alone again. The Shawnee Mission School District said the teams have changed practice routes and are reinforcing safety protocols so student athletes are never alone or unsupervised. District police and school resource officers had received information from Overland Park police because of the trail's proximity to the school.

A text message to team families, reviewed by KCTV5, said the coach told them someone was assaulted between the two parks around lunchtime Monday. It said runners should not run alone on trails near schools and should stay in groups, and that Overland Park police are stepping up monitoring with bicycle officers and likely plainclothes officers.

Overland Park police say they are investigating three assaults on women in city parks and trails over the past three months: Aug. 8 at Wilderness Lake Park, Sept. 10 at Rosehill East Park, and Oct. 19 between Nall and Roe. In each case, police say, a man approached a woman from behind. The Oct. 19 case was initially reported as a sexual assault and remains under investigation.

Police public information officer John Lacey previously told KCTV5 that detectives are assigned to each case and are comparing notes, but that police do not believe the cases are connected. "Because of the day and time, and also the location..we don't think it's the same person. We think it's a coincidence type of situation," Lacey said. He said the victims suffered minor injuries, that police have only a vague suspect description of a man, and that there are no cameras on the trails.

Powell said she came forward for her daughters. "My daughter needs to know that you don't stay quiet. It's okay to talk about this. It's okay. And you've got to heal," she said. "I will never be able to forgive that man. But I will pray for him."

Anyone with information is asked to call Overland Park police at 913-344-8750 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. Police say suspicious activity in progress should be reported by calling 911.