Hwy 17 roadside attack story 'not truthful', police say

SUDBURY — The harrowing tale a Sudbury area woman posted to social media earlier this month, and subsequently told police when they began asking questions about it, turned out to be not so harrowing after all, West Nipissing Police report.

On the evening of Feb. 1, the woman claimed to have been driving on Hwy 17 between Verner and Warren when she was flagged down by a man on the side of the road. In a post to Facebook, the woman said the man told her he was having car trouble, but when she stopped to help, he attacked her, she claimed.

The victim told a another city media outlet she walked closer to the man's car, turned and glanced at the highway to make sure no cars were coming — that was when the man attacked, she said, wrapping a string or cord around her neck. She broke free when he released his hold as another vehicle approached.

The woman ran to her car and drove away. She said didn't contact police, because she felt she didn't have enough information to provide.

The man’s vehicle is described as an older model station wagon or small sport utility vehicle with the back hatch open at the time of this incident.

The woman, who told a local media outlet her name was “Netasha,” even posted a photo supposedly showing ligature marks around her neck.

West Nipissing Police in conjunction with the OPP began to investigate the claim, based on the media reports and her Facebook post. 

Police are now saying the story is just that, a story. 

In a release issued within the past hour, West Nipissing Police say the woman fabricated the story.

“A review of the initial investigation suggested that there were inconsistencies in the accounts of events,” police said in a news release. “The complainant was re-interviewed by West Nipissing Police on February 14th and it was determined that the allegations were not truthful.”

And now, instead of laying an assault charge against a man, police laid a public mischief charge on the alleged victim.

- Sudbury.com