Maple Grove Man Charged in Runner Assault
Charges have been filed against a Maple Grove man accused of tackling and threatening a woman on a Maple Grove trail.
Jordan Janusz, 31, is charged with criminal sexual conduct, assault and threats of violence.
It’s been nearly four months since the assault occurred on a Maple Grove running trail.
A woman was jogging near Rice Lake on a trail that runs under I-94 around 6 a.m. on Jan. 30, when a man sprinted toward her and tackled her to the ground.
The assailant, who police allege was Janusz, threatened to sexually assault and kill her.
After a struggle, Janusz told her it was her “lucky day” and ran from the scene.
According to the criminal complaint:
Police investigators interviewed Janusz, who told them he couldn’t run because he’d injured his knee.
However, one of his coworkers told police he’d bragged about lying to police.
Cell phone data showed Janusz was in the area of the assault. Likewise, DNA taken from the victim’s face showed a partial match with Janusz.
He was arrested at his home in Maple Grove and booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
The complaint said Janusz was accused of a similar assault in September of last year.
During that incident, which occurred on the Medicine Lake Regional Trail near I-94, he grabbed the victim by the neck with both hands before running away. In that incident he was charged with assault and disorderly conduct.
