A University of Georgia student allegedly impersonated a high school cross-country runner and attacked the athlete with rocks during a stealthy mid-race ambush.
Aiden Dombrowski is accused of launching the alleged assault when he infiltrated the Coweta Cup Cross Country Championship at Newnan High School on Saturday, Newnan Police said.
Dombrowski, 19, drove from the University of Georgia campus in Athens to Newnan, Ga., a 110-mile drive, Friday night and then slept in his car waiting for race day.
When the meet kicked off the next morning, Dombrowski donned an East Coweta High School cross-country uniform and trekked through the woods until his target, a Newnan High School runner, passed by.
The teen suspect was seen holding rocks in his hands but pushed his victim and struck him with his fists, witnesses told police.
Witnesses described the attack like something out of a Netflix movie, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
The unidentified victim fought back against Dombrowski, scaring his attacker off the course and into the woods.
During his frantic flight from the scene, Dombrowski changed his clothes, ditching the uniform into his car before surrendering to police, who were searching for him.
Dombrowski appeared to have changed into another school’s tracksuit when he turned himself in.
During the conversation with police, Dombrowski claimed it was all a prank, denying attacking the runnner who he called an “acquaintance.”
He did not share additional information.
“So you don’t know that kid at all,” one officer asked Dombrowski, according to body camera footage of the arrest obtained by the outlet.
“I know him, I’m not friends with him,” the suspect replied. “No bad blood. Acquaintances.”
Dombrowski was arrested and charged with battery.
He was booked into Coweta County Jail.
Dombrowski appeared bloodied in his mugshot, sporting a gash around his right eye he sustained during the alleged attack.
Police later announced Dombrowski was never a student of East Coweta High School and never explained how he got the uniform.
Dombrowski, who had attended nearby Northgate High School before studying at UGA, had hopes of breaking 15 minutes in the 5K before graduation, with the dream to “improve considerably” in college, according to his NCSA College Recruiting profile.
He does not appear on the University of Georgia cross-country or Track team rosters.
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