Cary police say jogger accused in attacks on greenway was having a 'mental health crisis,' no charges will be filed

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Cary Police Department said Friday that it determined the jogger involved in alleged attacks on the greenway earlier this week was having a "mental health crisis."

Two people came forward accusing that man of verbally and physically assaulting them, in what they believed could be a racially motivated attack.

It happened just before 11 a.m. Wednesday on the White Oak Creek Greenway.

Morteza Mirdamadi, an Iranian man who has lived in Cary for more than 20 years, was chatting with a friend on the phone in his native language, Farsi. Mirdamadi said the jogger came across the path and threw a punch at him.

"He tried to punch my face, I remember, because I see his hand and I turn my face like that and because I hold the phone, I drop the phone," said Morteza Mirdamadi.

When he bent over to pick up his phone, the jogger threw a water bottle at him. That's when Mirdamadi threatened to call the cops. In response, Mirdamadi said the jogger spit at him and ran off.

A Chinese American woman who happened to be nearby saw the whole thing. She was walking the greenway with her parents and her dog.

When the same jogger came running back at them, she snapped the photo of him.

The victims said they were not the only ones on the trail, but they appeared to be the only ones this jogger cared about.

"He's dangerous," said Mirdamadi. "He punched. Maybe tomorrow, take the knife. Maybe the day after that, take the gun."

Lt. John Reeves with Cary Police Department said Friday that "investigators determined that neither race nor ethnicity were factors in the incident" and that no criminal charges would be filed.