The trend of increased city crime continues as the Madison Police Department responded to another sexual assault attempt on East Johnson Street Friday.

MPD Public Information Officer Mike Hanson reported Monday that neighbors heard screams of the victim, a 21-year-old female Madison resident, shortly after 8 p.m.

The incident occurred on the 2600 block of East Johnson Street, and the suspect has been described as a heavy-set black male between the ages of 20 and 30, with short dark hair. Hanson also confirmed the young victim was not a University of Wisconsin student.

"There's nothing I've seen to indicate she was a university student," he said.

Hanson also said the woman was walking to her home alone when she realized she was being followed. The suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her around the neck and dragged her to a nearby opening between two houses.

"[The victim] noticed someone walking behind her," Hanson said. "She became nervous and called a relative on her cell phone."

But several witnesses heard the woman's loud screams as she was trying to escape, and the suspect fled the scene after attempting to sexually assault the woman, Hanson said.

Sexual assault cases are on the rise, and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has made city crime a priority in the 2007 budget. The mayor's office hopes to provide more detectives and investigative officers for these cases.

"We've seen the value of good detective work in some of the [sexual assault] cases this summer," said George Twigg, communications director for the mayor. "Those resources are obviously very important."

The investigation of the case remains open, and individuals with any information on the attack are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014.