TOLEDO, Ohio — For Hadley Pritchard, an University of Toledo student, running is her way to let off steam. But now, she said she is hesitant to jog by herself.
Pritchard said a man on a bike followed and recorded her on his phone while she was out running by herself on the University Parks Trail Tuesday night.
"I could sense someone behind me and I turned around and I noticed a man on his bike, no more than 3 feet behind me. He was recording me with his phone," Pritchard said.
Pritchard immediately stopped, called the man out and warned him she was carrying mace. She then told him to ride his bike in front of her and called her mom and the police.
"I'm that I'm safe but It's just a really scary, unsettling situation. It's always a fear in the back of my mind especially when I'm running alone, that anything could happen at any time. But of course, when it actually does happen to you, it puts things into perspective," she said.
Pritchard described the person following her as a white man with a red beard and red hair, who is approximately 5 feet, 9 inches tall.
She said anyone who runs alone, particularly females, should not be afraid to speak out if they feel they are in danger.
"Stay smart, stay safe, always be aware of your surroundings, carry a self-defense weapon with you at all times and don't be afraid to use your voice," Pritchard said.
The Toledo Police Department says they are aware of this situation.
Additionally, the University of Toledo said they are taking measures. In a statement, they encouraged all students to download the RAVE Guardian App, which helps police get to students who need help faster.
The university also said they have expanded their Night Watch program this school year.
“Safety is our number one priority. This academic year, we’ve expanded the Night Watch program, which features teams that help students get where they need to go. The police department also has an active campaign to encourage more students to download the RAVE Guardian App. The app, which is free, has a safety timer and panic button to immediately contact police in an emergency and uses your GPS location to get help to you faster. Plus, the UT Alert system is now opt-out, instead of opt-in. Mobile numbers are automatically signed up to receive text messages in case of an emergency," the statement read.
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