Police looking for Crystal Lake attacker

Crystal Lake police are seeking the public’s help in their search for a man in his mid-30s who attempted to pull a woman into a secluded area before striking her in the face Monday afternoon as she struggled to break free.

Authorities said the man approached the 38-year-old woman on the east side of North Williams Street between Woodstock and Brink streets just after 4 p.m. and implied he had a gun in his pocket.

The white man standing about 5-foot 8-inches and weighing between 175 to 200 pounds told the woman if she tried to call for help or didn’t follow his instructions he would harm her, according to police.

Authorities said the man grabbed the woman and tried to take her to a secluded are in an alley and then struck her twice in the face as she struggled.

The woman was able to break away and immediately called police, who were unable to find the man.

He was described as wearing a white T-shirt with a black design on the front, with black pants, an unshaven, unkempt look and a spider web tattoo on the left side of his neck.

Anyone with information about the man or who may have witnessed the attack is asked to call police at (815) 356-3620 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 762-7867. Anonymous tips can be texted to 847411 with the start of the text reading CLPDTIP.