The suspect, described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a slender build, closely cropped brown hair and no facial hair, was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. He reportedly jumped out of bushes on the trail just north of Highway 85 around 10 a.m. Oct. 15. The San Jose woman attacked was pushing her 16-month-old baby in his stroller and was accompanied by her dog.

The woman heard footsteps behind her, but before she had time to turn around, someone grabbed her by the hips and tried to drag her into the bushes, said Sgt. Kerry Harris of the Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department. The woman held on to the stroller and screamed for help. After a few minutes, the suspect fled the scene, and the woman called police on her cell phone.

Neither the woman nor her child was injured, police said.

Along with officers from Los Gatos, Campbell and the Sheriff's Office, police dogs were on the scene last week to search for the man. Also, members of Volunteers in Policing handed out flyers to people on the trail, warning them to be on the lookout.

Trail users are advised to walk with a partner, stay in a populated area and to carry a cell phone for emergencies. People should also not wear headphones so that they can hear what noises are around them.

"You portray the image of someone who is alert and prepared," Harris said about not wearing headphones.

Harris said he does not consider it unsafe to walk alone and said it's unusual for police to receive a report of an assault on the popular creek trail, although it's "not unheard of." Another incident took place in June, he said, but police do not believe the two cases are connected.

Meanwhile, police continue to investigate whether additional incidents have been reported in other cities, with a matching description of the suspect.

Anyone with information about the case should call Los Gatos police at 408.354.8600.