Wednesday, May 09, 2001 - An Aurora woman was in critical condition Tuesday after a naked man jumped out of his car and pummeled her with rocks as she walked her dog, authorities said.
The 28-year-old victim, whose name was withheld, remained stable at the Medical Center of Aurora.
James Rivers Matherson, 19, of Aurora is being held in the Arapahoe County jail on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault.
The woman was walking her Jack Russell terrier, Molly, in the 100 block of South Nome Street about 6:25 p.m. Monday when Matherson drove up, Aurora police said.
A woman who lives across the street said she heard a car "screech" and then go up on the sidewalk. Then she heard the victim scream.
The witness, who is pregnant and requested anonymity out of concern for her safety, said she thought the woman was hit by the car and ran outside to help.
The naked man got out of the car, swore at the victim and punched her in the face, the witness said.
Then he picked up stones from a rock wall that runs through the neighborhood and started throwing them down on the injured woman's head.
Kriss Cordova was alone with her 5-week-old son when she heard her neighbor screaming, "Leave her alone! Don't hit her!"
She ran outside and joined her neighbor in yelling at the attacker.
The man chased Cordova and the pregnant woman back into their houses, Cordova said.
The naked man beat on her door, marking it with blood. "I can't imagine what would have happened if my door hadn't locked," she said.
When another man showed up to help the injured woman off the ground, the naked man ran him off, the witnesses said. Cordova said she heard the attacker ask: "Is she dead yet?"
The assailant picked up several more rocks, lifted them over his head and hurled them down on the woman's head, Cordova said.
Before he fled in his car, the naked man "did a little dance" in the middle of the street, Cordova said.
Matherson was caught by police after crashing into a parked car.
Earlier, a naked Matherson allegedly tried to attack several neighbors who live near him in the 200 block of South Newark Circle.
Barbara Brooks said she chased him away with a baseball bat. "He started grabbing me, so I fought back," Brooks said.
Akilah Frazier said she saw Matherson disrobe Monday on his carport before he began terrorizing the neighborhood.
"It's not an everyday thing for him," she said. "That's for sure."
Aurora police had taken a clothed Matherson into custody Monday morning for allegedly urinating in the nearby Living Hope Baptist Church, police said.
Officers took him to the Medical Center of Aurora for a psychiatric evaluation. He was later released into his mother's custody, hospital spokeswoman Beverly Petry said.
Petry said the victim's dog disappeared after the attack and her family is hoping for a safe return.
The 28-year-old victim, whose name was withheld, remained stable at the Medical Center of Aurora.
James Rivers Matherson, 19, of Aurora is being held in the Arapahoe County jail on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault.
The woman was walking her Jack Russell terrier, Molly, in the 100 block of South Nome Street about 6:25 p.m. Monday when Matherson drove up, Aurora police said.
A woman who lives across the street said she heard a car "screech" and then go up on the sidewalk. Then she heard the victim scream.
The witness, who is pregnant and requested anonymity out of concern for her safety, said she thought the woman was hit by the car and ran outside to help.
The naked man got out of the car, swore at the victim and punched her in the face, the witness said.
Then he picked up stones from a rock wall that runs through the neighborhood and started throwing them down on the injured woman's head.
Kriss Cordova was alone with her 5-week-old son when she heard her neighbor screaming, "Leave her alone! Don't hit her!"
She ran outside and joined her neighbor in yelling at the attacker.
The man chased Cordova and the pregnant woman back into their houses, Cordova said.
The naked man beat on her door, marking it with blood. "I can't imagine what would have happened if my door hadn't locked," she said.
When another man showed up to help the injured woman off the ground, the naked man ran him off, the witnesses said. Cordova said she heard the attacker ask: "Is she dead yet?"
The assailant picked up several more rocks, lifted them over his head and hurled them down on the woman's head, Cordova said.
Before he fled in his car, the naked man "did a little dance" in the middle of the street, Cordova said.
Matherson was caught by police after crashing into a parked car.
Earlier, a naked Matherson allegedly tried to attack several neighbors who live near him in the 200 block of South Newark Circle.
Barbara Brooks said she chased him away with a baseball bat. "He started grabbing me, so I fought back," Brooks said.
Akilah Frazier said she saw Matherson disrobe Monday on his carport before he began terrorizing the neighborhood.
"It's not an everyday thing for him," she said. "That's for sure."
Aurora police had taken a clothed Matherson into custody Monday morning for allegedly urinating in the nearby Living Hope Baptist Church, police said.
Officers took him to the Medical Center of Aurora for a psychiatric evaluation. He was later released into his mother's custody, hospital spokeswoman Beverly Petry said.
Petry said the victim's dog disappeared after the attack and her family is hoping for a safe return.
