SPARKS -- A woman is recovering from injuries sustained during an assault and burglary while she was leaving her work office yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon the Sparks Police Department responded to a report of a female realtor who had been battered by an unknown assailant at her realty office located at 325 Harbour Cove Drive.  Upon interviewing witnesses and the victim it was determined that the assailant used the ruse of asking to use the phone to call his wife to gain entry into the business as the relator had just closed the business for the day.  Once inside the office the suspect attacked the women, throwing her to the floor where he continued the assault by repeatedly hitting her.  An off duty Washoe County Deputy heard the women screaming and looked inside the business and saw the women being beaten.  The deputy began attempting to force entry into the back of the business and when the suspect saw the deputy he fled out the front of the business to a vehicle and fled the area. The deputy was in plain clothes and had not identified himself as a deputy at the time of the incident.

The victim suffered serious head and spinal injuries, that at this time, are not considered to be life threatening.

The suspect is described as an African American male with a dark complexion and a stalky build.  He is believed to be in his mid twenties and is described to be between 5'6" to 5'9". He was last seen wearing dark grey pants and a dark grey hooded sweatshirt.  The suspect did not have any facial hair at the time of the attack and had a close cut afro.

The suspects vehicle is described as a white four door passenger car with tinted windows, black rims and a loud exhaust.  One witness thought it might have been an older model Volkswagen Jetta or similar type vehicle. 

The Sparks Police Department is requesting the publics help in identifying the suspect. If anyone might know a suspect matching this description or who may have witnessed the suspect, or suspect vehicle in the area of the crime, to please contact the Detective Section at 353-2225 or Secret Witness at 322-4900.