ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an alleged attack on a woman running in Bent Creek Experimental Forest south of Asheville, according to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed that Dillon James Curtis, 29, was taken into custody Saturday in neighboring Henderson County after a woman obtained criminal warrants stemming from the reported incident.
The investigation began after deputies received a call Friday morning, May 22, from Asheville outdoor content creator Emily Sutherland, who reported she had been attacked while finishing a 13-mile run in the popular recreation area.
According to court documents, Curtis faces misdemeanor charges of assault on a female, false imprisonment, interfering with emergency communications and communicating threats.
According to warrants, Curtis shoved Sutherland in the shoulder and swung at her in an attempt to strike her. Curtis is also accused of restraining her against her will and attempting to take her cellphone as she tried to contact law enforcement.
Court records also state that Curtis allegedly threatened to “knock her out and drag her into the woods.”
Sutherland first described the incident in a social media post Thursday, writing that she had been “attacked by a man” while running in the Bent Creek area. She said two mountain bikers arrived in a truck during the encounter causing the suspect to back away.
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the details contained in the warrants and said Curtis was arrested Saturday morning on those charges.
Jail records show Curtis was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on May 23. He is being held on a $5,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court May 26.