Plymouth Town Worker Charged With Attacking Jogger With Pruning Shears

PLYMOUTH (CBS) - It was the blood curdling screams that witnesses heard first. Then they saw a female jogger bloodied and running through the woods at Morton Park in Plymouth.

Prosecutors say 28-year-old Daryl Moyer, a seasonal park employee, came up from behind, put a hand around her neck, and poked garden shears into her back. He allegedly stabbed her repeatedly when she tried to get away.

"The male subject said 'come with me' and 'don't make a call' while pulling her into the woods. The male subject then ordered her on her knees and said 'do you want to die'?", said prosecutor Jonathan Shulman.

Robin Ireland, a Plymouth parks employee who was on a jog himself, came to her aid and said he tried to create space to help the victim escape. When he grabbed a large stick, Moyer allegedly turned on him and said 'Do you want some of this too?' according to Shulman.

Ireland describes it as a scary situation and was concerned for both their safety. "I kind of yelled loudly and made myself big and mean as much as possible to give the young lady enough time to get away," said Ireland.

The prosecutors say it was Moyer himself who led police to the park calling 911 and saying he had done something stupid. "I tried to rape a woman but I didn't have the courage," he allegedly told police. Among other charges he faces attempted sexual assault.

Prosecutors say other witnesses saw the victim emerge from the woods and tried to shield her while they also called police. "I didn't want to completely engage him unless I had to," said Ireland. "I didn't want to put myself in jeopardy thinking of my family as well. It seems like fate intervened and we're both safe."

The victim was taken to South Shore Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. Moyer is being held pending a dangerousness hearing next week. A court psychiatrist who examined Moyer said he is competent and had been hospitalized at one time for suicidal thoughts.