Pocono News Section

Police: Woman Assaulted in Northumberland Home Invasion

Police: Woman Assaulted in Northumberland Home Invasion - Friday, May 28, 2010 at 04:09AM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Friday May 28 2010
A violent home invasion has struck fear into a normally quiet Northumberland County community.

Now, neighbors are being extra vigilant as police search for the alleged assailant.

Police in Northumberland say a woman living on the 300 block of Water Street suffered a harrowing ordeal.

Her husband, who requested not to appear on camera, gave us these details.

The husband tells Eyewitness News he was leaving the house for about an hour just after 11 Thursday night.

His wife, upon hearing a rattle at this back door, opened it, assuming it was her husband.

Instead she found herself standing face to face with an intruder.

She tried to run for a phone but says she was hit in the back of the head with some type of hard object.

The woman was bound with duct tape but eventually reached a phone to call her husband.

The news was a shock to people in this quiet community.

Neighbor Charity Miller said, "In Northumberland, it's really scary. It's a quiet, peaceful neighborhood."

Neighbor Judy Stuck noted, "We've never had anything like this in this area before, not right in my neighborhood anyhow. I can't believe that this happened right next to my house."

We're told two children sleeping in the house were unharmed.

And the intruder apparently left without taking anything.

The victim described him as being about 5'10" to 6' tall.

She says he was over 200 pounds with a stocky build and short dark hair.

She also recalls the man having a tattoo on his left forearm near his wrist.

People with spoke with say the violent episode leaves them extra cautious.

Stuck explained, "You're going to be more aware of what you're doing and where you're going at every hour of the day."

Miller added, "We lock the door but we're going to start locking the door even more now, even when we step outside. It's really nerve-wracking."

We're told the woman was treated and released from a nearby hospital for bruises to the back of her head.

Anyone with information is asked to call Northumberland police.