Mason County sheriff: Woman attacked in Belfair State Park restroom

BELFAIR, Wash. -- A young woman says a man attacked her while she used the bathroom at a state park.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said the attack happened in the bathroom of Belfair State Parkoff of State Route 300.

Deputies said the 19-year-old woman escaped her attacker and ran to a nearby RV for help

“It scares me, it really scares me,” said Krystal Kiehn, who uses the showers at Belfair State Park every day.

Now, she and other campers, including families, are afraid for their safety.

“It is unusual. I’ve never heard of anything like that happening here,” added Kiehn.

“It’s disturbing, of course. You’d like to know there’s more protection available around the clock,” said David Rose, who lives in Olympia and visits the state parks with his kids.

On Wednesday morning, the woman told deputies a man attacked her in the stall of the restroom.

“The male came in and demanded of her that she shower in front of him and demanded of her that she undress. She refused and he assaulted her. She fell backwards in the stall, bumped her head,” said Ryan Spurling, with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman ran to the park hosts and got help as the suspect got away.

“Some of the concerns for us is if there’s somebody that’s willing to do that out and about in the area,” added Spurling.

Belfair State Park is a popular spot for campers each summer and every weekend they’re booked up.

The state park has four rangers who work this park daily; two live on site.

Deputies are asking people and campers to use the buddy system and walk in pairs.

“It is kind of scary but you always have to have your guard up,” added Rose as he was getting ready to leave the park with this two boys.

The suspect is described as a white man who is about 6’2 to 6’4 and weighs about 300 pounds.

He had short curly blond or reddish hair with a receding hairline and green eyes.

He was last seen wearing an orange shirt and blue jeans and was possibly driving a white-colored Toyota 4-Runner or white newer Jeep Cherokee.

Park rangers plan to warn visitors about the attack as well as increase their patrols of the area.

Anyone with information about this attack is urged to call the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.