Oddy Grullon has breathed a sigh of relief after the man who attacked her while she was jogging back in January was jailed for 25 months and recommended deportation after serving his sentence.
“I feel like I lost 200 pounds… l feel a release,” Grullon said Wednesday as she spoke with the Cayman Compass following the sentencing of Ruperth Hodgson Ingram, who previously pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.
She said she is still processing the sentencing, but feels a release that is “exactly the same [as] when I finish… a marathon”, adding, “this is not my win but that of every woman in our community”.
Unwarranted attack
The 26-year-old Nicaraguan was sentenced by Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez on Monday for the 3 Jan. assault.
He will be deported to his native country after serving his sentence.
Grullon was attacked while on her morning run and sustained injuries.
She fought off the attacker and managed to get away, and called for assistance.
Though she is strong, Grullon said Monday was difficult.
She did not feel like facing her attacker; however, she said she was glad she went to court and that he pleaded guilty.
Grullon’s attack came out of nowhere.
She was running, as she normally would, along South Sound Road and as she neared Old Crewe Road, Ingram grabbed her and dragged her to the bushes.
She told the Compass, in a previous interview, she was kicking, screaming and pushing the man off her, until he finally ran away.
She had sustained an injury to her leg from the attack, as well as scratches and bruises to her face and neck.
Peace of mind
Grullon said though some may think 25 months is not enough, for her the deportation order has provided her solace.
“The fact that he’s going to be deported is like a life sentence for me,” she said, explaining she won’t have to see him again and or worry he still lives in the community.
“So after the 25 months that he’s gonna be here in jail, he is going to be deported so that’s satisfying for me,” she said.
Grullon’s life changed when she was attacked, though the guilty plea was a comfort in that she did not have to testify. However, she said it did leave her with a question she would have liked to have asked Ingram.
“Why?… why me? Why did you decide to attack somebody that was just running on the road, doing nothing to you… why? why? That would be my question. I cannot understand why he did something like that,” she said.
She added that she would also want to tell him he did not break her.
“I’m happy that he’s going to jail… I got justice, and he had to pay for what he did,” she said.
Grullon said she was grateful to Magistrate Hernandez for her words in court and her message of support to women in the community.
“The way she defended our rights… my rights. I think it was put out there that [there are people] looking out for us and [looking after] our rights so I’m sure if we all get together we can [reduce] these types of crimes,” she said.
She was also thankful to those in the community who supported her.
Grullon, who has embarked on a four-marathon challenge to raise $15,000 for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, said the ordeal has affected her, but she wants to be an example to other women who may find themselves in a similar situation.
“Please do not go silent. Speak out, put your face, put your name out there. I see [similar] cases happen to other ladies and they don’t put their name, they don’t put their face out because they’re scared to. Just don’t be scared because this is the only way that you can make the community support you… if you speak out,” she said.
Grullon has completed two of her four planned marathons – in Utah and Chicago – and so far has raised more than $13,000 for the Crisis Centre.
Her next stop will be the New York Marathon on 6 Nov., and she will end her campaign with the Walkers Cayman Islands Marathon on 4 Dec.
“I think now the next marathon I’m gonna run faster. I’m gonna be more happy to run these marathons faster,” she said.
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