Woman viciously attacked for 12 minutes while drivers pass by

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/cnn-news/19034811/detail.html

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass. -- A woman was viciously attacked in broad daylight Friday afternoon on a heavily traveled road, while other drivers passed by without stopping.

The woman, in her mid-40s, was knocked unconscious, brutalized and sexually assaulted after pulling over on Route 28 in Middleborough after a fender bender, police said.

The attack, which began about 4:30 p.m., lasted for more than 10 minutes. "She was definitely violently assaulted," said Middleborough police Lt. Charles Armanetti.

Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows the victim driving on Route 28, followed by what police believe to be the attacker's car. Minutes later, the woman's car was bumped from behind. When she pulled over, the man got out of his car and began the attack.

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Armanetti said they received only one 911 call from a driver who stopped to help after the man had left.

The attacker is still at large and is described as a white man in a dark, zippered coat driving a dark-colored sedan.

more

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/29/driver_was_attacked_after_middleborough_accident_police_say/

He said the attack took place in plain sight, and he estimated that 30 cars pass every minute, or a total of about 300. One person called to report that they saw the woman hanging out of her car, and police responded within a minute, he said.

He said there was no known relationship between the victim and the attacker.

Armanetti said he didn't fault the drivers for not reporting the altercation earlier, saying the scene could have looked like someone helping someone else after a roadside breakdown. But, he said, the victim was the only witness to the assault, so police have limited information.

[Political Heretic]

1. Headline is slightly misleading

"Armanetti said he didn't fault the drivers for not reporting the altercation earlier, saying the scene could have looked like someone helping someone else after a roadside breakdown. But, he said, the victim was the only witness to the assault, so police have limited information."

At first it sounds like a bunch of drivers were just driving by watching a woman get brutalized and going "oh well." Not exactly like that....

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. Yeah, that's why I edited to add 2nd article. Articles on web go both ways.

[Political Heretic]

3. Sorry I meant the article headline, not your post headline - not your fault. :)

[cabluedem]

4. So what is your point here, exactly? Makes no sense to me. nt

[varkam]

5. Bystander Effect

Been documented for years now. I'd guess it's especially powerful on the roadways in this age of cell phones.