Sexual assault on Esplanade reported

Officials warned visitors to the Charles River Esplanade to be careful yesterday after a woman reported being sexually assaulted as she jogged alone late Saturday on a concrete path near the Massachusetts Avenue bridge.

"It's a shame if there's a stalker or a predator out there," said Kimberly Banovic , 31, a social worker from South End, who said she jogs at least 5 miles a day after work.

Banovic was stretching yesterday on a grassy bank near where police said the assault had occurred just after 11 p.m.

State Police declined to describe the exact nature of the attack, but Sergeant Robert Bousquet said authorities believe the episode was isolated. He could not say when the last sexual assault was reported on the Esplanade, a popular spot for joggers, walkers, and sailors and home to the Hatch Shell, a summer concert venue.

Investigators assigned to H-Troop barracks, near the Museum of Science, responded to a call about the assault at 11:54 p.m. on Saturday, State Police said.

The victim was attacked between 11 and 11:15 p.m., police said in a statement.

Authorities described the suspect as a black male, in his early to mid-20s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, 170 to 180 pounds, with a "chubby" build and shaved head. He was wearing a dark shirt and dark shorts, according to the statement .

"It is an active investigation," Bousquet said yesterday. "We will be looking into any and all leads we receive."

Wendy Fox , spokeswoman for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, which runs the park, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

On Saturday, singer Frankie Valli started performing at the Hatch Shell at 7 p.m. as part of the Summer Concert Series sponsored by the Oldies 103.3 FM radio station.

Ted Jordan, the station's general manager, said the radio station hired 17 State Police detail officers for the show, which drew about 18,000 people and kicked off the station's 20th anniversary of its summer concert series on the Esplanade. "This is a lawn-chair crowd, an older audience," Jordan said, adding that there were no problems during the concert. The show ended just before 9 p.m. with spotlights illuminating the area as people exited.

Jordan did not think the detail officers would have been on duty when the attack was reported.

Angelo Tilas , a Department of Conservation and Recreation employee who supervises the Esplanade, said he was working at the Hatch Shell until midnight yesterday. "I'm really surprised if it happened at 11 o'clock at night," Tilas said. "There are still people around."

He said the park technically closes at dusk, but the policy is not strictly enforced. He cautioned park-goers. "In any park, in any city, they need to take precautions in dark areas. At 11 o'clock at night, you should be with someone, walking anywhere."

News of the alleged attack surprised visitors to the Esplanade yesterday, when sunny skies and warm temperatures drew hundreds of walkers, bikers, and runners to the breezy pathway that stretches 3 miles along the Charles River.

"Relative to other areas, we've had a very low violence rate here," said Jeryl Oristaglio , cofounder of The Esplanade Association, a nonprofit group that works to promote the park on Storrow Drive.

She stood at the foot of the Massachusetts Avenue bridge, handing out surveys. "People are careful," Oristaglio said.

Still, news of the sexual assault bothered some joggers .

Banovic, listening to music on her earphones , said she usually does not wear them when she jogs , especially at night. "If you can't hear somebody come up behind you, they could just grab your ponytail and do whatever they want," she said.

Marc Hymovitz , 37, said he runs on the Esplanade several times a week, sometimes as late as 10 p.m. He feels safe most of the time, he said, but is aware of the surroundings.

"You never know what's behind the trees," said Hymovitz, director of government relations for the American Cancer Society. "You just hope it's an isolated incident."

Globe correspondents April Yee and Javier Hernandez contributed to this story. Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com.