Police seek suspect after woman sexually assaulted, badly hurt as she left work in Elkhorn

ELKHORN -- Police in Elkhorn need your help locating a suspect wanted in connection with a sexual assault that left a woman injured after she left work on Tuesday night, Aug. 28.

It happened around 10:15 p.m. -- when police and Walworth County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the area near Geneva Street and Lincoln Street, where they discovered a vehicle parked in a public parking lot. The victim was found in that vehicle, seriously injured.

"It's scary! It's right here in our yard. Everybody's so nice and there's kids all over this block. Right here in our neighborhood. We never expected anything like this to happen," said Kimberly Ratz, neighbor.

An initial investigation has revealed shortly after 9 p.m., the victim left work and didn't immediately return home. Relatives began looking for her, and discovered her vehicle in the parking lot. At that point, police said a male fled on foot from the vehicle to the east, entering a backyard near Walworth and Jackson. The relatives then discovered the victim in the vehicle, and called 911.

"You don't ever hear about that stuff around here," said Scott Fel.

She was unable to communicate with officers, but it appeared she was the victim of sexual assault. She was taken to the hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Police are looking for a maroon conversion van, with plastic covering the rear window on the passenger side -- seen at the business prior to this attack.

The van pictured below is similar to the one police are looking for, but it's not the actual van:

Anyone with information is asked to please contact police.