Jacksonville woman says bicyclist punched her in unprovoked attack in Riverside

A Jacksonville businesswoman is warning people in the Riverside area after she says she was the victim of an unproved attack.

Monica Gable says she was in a car with two of her employees near the intersection of Post and King Street when they saw a man on a bike who appeared to be angry.

She said they continued driving and eventually stopped at the red light at the McDuff and Roosevelt intersection.

She said that’s when the man on the bike punched her through the car window, which was down.

“I was on the phone, next thing I know I was getting clocked in my face,” Gables said.

She told Action News Jax that she got out of the car and walked across the street to the Circle K -- but the suspect followed her.

According to the police report, she took a knife from her pocket and swung it at him to try to get him to leave.

The police report says he grabbed a steel, U-shaped bicycle lock.

Two Circle K employees witnessed him swing it at her, according to the report.

“Thank God for the cashier in there that protected me and gave me warning that he was behind me and (about) to swing and hit me in the head,” Gable said. “I had a knife, I sliced his arm. Just to protect myself.”

Gable took photos of the alleged aggressor during the attack, which the report said lasted approximately three minutes.

Action News Jax sent the photos to JSO to confirm he’s a person of interest.

A JSO spokesperson would not comment, saying the investigation is active and ongoing.

“I’m a business owner of 18 years. I’ve never seen something like this happen in this area,” Gable said.

She told Action News Jax that she doesn't know why the man was so angry or why his anger was directed at her.

She said she wants everyone in the area to be on the lookout, and to keep their car windows up if possible.

Cox Media Group