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The 18-year-old woman assaulted on Clive's Greenbelt Trail this week fought off her attacker, including taking his weapon and throwing it into the woods, according to court records released Thursday.

Robert Kristopher Goodenough, 20, of Clive was arrested Wednesday evening, about a day after the assault. He was charged with willful injury, assault with a dangerous weapon and obstruction of emergency communications. He was booked into the Polk County Jail, and he appeared in court Thursday morning.

Court records detailing the charges against Goodenough show that he approached the woman, who was walking alone, at about 1 p.m. Tuesday on Greenbelt Trail and asked her for help finding "an item in the woods."

The woman refused, and she started to call 911, but then Goodenough pulled out a realistic-looking handgun, according to the criminal complaint.

Goodenough grabbed the woman and tried to force her into the woods, but she fought back, police said. Goodenough allegedly struck the woman multiple times on her head with the gun.

The woman was eventually able to take the gun away from Goodenough and threw it into the woods, according to the complaint. The woman escaped and ran away, screaming for help, police said. She suffered multiple cuts to her head and was bleeding.

Goodenough left on a small-frame BMX-style bicycle.

Police later found a BB gun in the area, believed to be the weapon used in the assault. The BB gun resembled a real gun.

After Clive police publicly released descriptions of the assault, an acquaintance of Goodenough contacted police because they believed Goodenough was involved in the attack.

Detectives interviewed Goodenough, and he "made statements that implicated him in the assault," police said.

Clive Police Chief Michael Venema declined to provide further detail about what Goodenough said in the interview. He also declined to comment on any suspected motive for the crime.

Detectives also recovered clothing and a bicycle from his home that matched the victim's description of her attacker, court records show.

Goodenough appeared in court Thursday morning, and his bond was set at $15,000, records show. He remained in custody at the Polk County Jail on Thursday afternoon.

Goodenough doesn't have any history of violent crime in Iowa, according to court records. He was arrested in July 2016 for first-offense operating while under the influence and possession of marijuana.

The assault prompted Clive police to increase patrols on the Greenbelt Trail. Those increased patrols will continue, Venema said Thursday. Even before the assault, officers routinely patrolled the trail on bikes or an ATV.


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