BOULDER, Colo. -- Police are looking for a man who tried to strangle a woman in Boulder last week.

On Friday, Boulder police released a sketch of a man who attacked a young woman in an alley west of 12th Street.

He pushed her to the ground, climbed on top of her and began strangling her, she said. The woman kneed the man several times in the groin and managed to escape, police said.

This week the woman met with the police department's sketch artist and was able to provide enough details for a composite sketch.

She described the man as Hispanic, about 5 foot 7 inches tall with a thin build. He appeared to be in his 30s, she said.

If he looks familiar, please contact Boulder police.

The attack occurred on Dec. 5 between 12:30 and 1 a.m. in an alley west of 12th Street between College and Euclid avenues.

The police department would like to encourage community members to take the following precautions:

Walk in pairs or groups, particularly after dark. Use the buddy system. Do not leave a friend alone in a public or potentially unsafe place.
Use well-lit pathways and busy streets as much as possible.
Be aware of your surroundings and people in your immediate vicinity.
Consider carrying whistles or other noise-making devices so that you could draw attention to yourself, if necessary. Carry a cell phone, if possible, so you can summon help.
Keep an eye out for anything unusual and notify police immediately of anything that seems suspicious. Trust your instincts.
Do not consume alcoholic beverages to the extent that you are unable to care for or defend yourself.
Please report crimes that occur to you or people you know and report them as promptly as possible.

If you think you can recognize the sketch, contact Detective Kurt Foster at 303-441-3330 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, please call the non-emergency dispatch line at 303-441-3333.

Those with information who wish to remain anonymous should contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. Tips can also be submitted via the Crime Stoppers Web site. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers.