Trail Attack Victim's Quick Thinking Helped Police Make Arrest

(CBS4) - The victim in an attack on the Highline Canal Trail says she was walking on the trail when a man came out of nowhere and punched her in the face.

The crime took place last Friday. Despite the shock she was in, the victim says she was able to pull out her cellphone and capture a photo of the man.

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Denver police say the image was key in the arrest of a suspect in the case.

Demarcus Bookhart, 25, was arrested a day after police released a sketch of the suspect paired with the cellphone pic, which showed a man walking away on the trail.

"That combined with the composite sketch led us to the arrest," Denver police officer Barb Archer said.

Bookhart was arrested in the same area where the attack happened.

According to arrest documents, Bookhart told police he had gotten in a fight "with a woman with her dog when her dog tried to bite me."

The victim, who told CBS4 she prefers to remain anonymous, said she was walking her dog when she was attacked, but her dog had nothing to do with it.

Bookhart is facing second degree assault charges. Police weren't releasing his mugshot right away due to the ongoing investigation.

An investigation is also looking into whether the attack is connected to another assault in the same area a week earlier.