Man arrested, accused of sucker punching jogger in Northeast Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. — PORTLAND, Ore. – Police have arrested a man accused of punching a woman in the face while she was jogging in her Northeast Portland neighborhood on Sunday morning.

Portland Police said Michael Hart, 50, is facing charges of 2nd degree assault – a class B felony.

Hart was arrested Wednesday after someone identified him as the suspect who sucker punched a woman in the face three days prior.

Susanna Stewart tells KATU News she was nearly done with her five-mile route when she approached the intersection of NE 15th Avenue and Brazee Street.

She said that a man walked towards her from across the street and made a gesture before punching her in the face.

“I couldn't hear what he was saying because I was wearing earbuds. I couldn't tell if he wanted me to stop and had something to say to me, or if he wanted me to cross to the other side. I crossed in front of him to pass him on my right, and as I did, he looked at me, he was speaking to me and looked very angry, and just clocked me full on in the face,” said Stewart.

Several neighbors rushed over to help Stewart. She has a broken bone in her cheek and two fractures in her nose. On Sunday, she still had a black eye and a cast on her nose.

“I was mostly in rage, because I looked up and he was shuffling away, no running, no nothing, just walking exactly as he had been walking toward me,” she said.

Hart was arrested two blocks from where the assault took place. His bail is set at $250,000.

There were two warrants for Hart's arrest for failing to show up to court and failing to comply with mental health treatment after his last conviction.

Court documents show Hart has 13 prior felony convictions, one misdemeanor conviction and 29 parole violations.