By Joe Bachman
Editor

STEVENS POINT — The victim in the July 1 assault on a local woman has allowed her story to be told.

According to police, on July 1, 2018, at approximately 3:17 a.m., officers were notified that a 28-year-old woman was assaulted while walking home from downtown Stevens Point. This assault took place on Church Street near Matilda Street. This woman has been identified as Lindsay Noffke, and her boyfriend Kyle Johannsen has told her story to Stevens Point News.

It’s a story of a casual and fun night downtown that took a turn for the worse.

“So, Lindsay was out with her friends downtown Point. They were having a good time when all of a sudden some guy was around them,” said Johannsen. “He was grabbing our other friends inappropriately; making them very uncomfortable. Lindsay then decided to take it upon herself to politely ask him to leave cause he was being way too creepy.”

The group soon decided to travel to a different bar, however, Noffke had enough for the night, and decided to walk home on her own; traditionally a safe route. Soon into her travels, she was followed by a man described later to police as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’05”, thin to medium build, short hair and wearing a dark blue shirt. This occurred in the area of Church and Matilda Streets.

After speaking to Noffke in Spanish, he soon charged at her.

“That is when he charged at her and he hit her in the face,” said Johannsen. “She was on the phone with her brother at the time who heard this go down. He then called me, which got me out of bed.”

The search for Noffke started, and soon after, Johannsen and a group of friends would locate her and take her to the ER. It is important to note that the assailant did not take her phone or debit card, and seemingly was out only to physically harm Noffke. While Noffke and Johannsen believe the attacker could have been the same man from earlier that night, this is not confirmed, and still under police investigation.

They arrived at Ascension hospital to find that Noffke had a fractured skull, and a brain hemorrhage, which resulted in the immediate transfer to a specialty care clinic in Marshfield. Noffke would receive four staples in her head, and fortunately, could be released soon this week.

Police are currently investigating this incident, and according to Assistant Police Chief Tom Zenner, safety should always take precedence above all else.

“Although our community is relatively safe, it’s never a bad idea to travel at night with a companion, be aware of your surroundings, and at a minimum, communicate with others where you are traveling and when to expect you to arrive home,” said Zenner. “Do not hesitate or minimize a concern to the point of not notifying police. We are here for you and will respond accordingly.”

While danger lurks in all cities, no matter how large or small, the importance of safety cannot be understated. However, we should also ask for common decency among others, so that we can walk freely without fear of attack in the late hours.