Grzegorek reaches plea agreement for attacking woman on a La Crosse trail

A 26-year-old La Crosse man is pleading guilty to kidnapping for attacking a woman on a local walking trail.

Joseph Grzegorek reached a plea agreement Thursday for reportedly chasing the woman and trying to drag her toward the river in March of last year.

The attack happened on a trail near the hospital on 7th Street in La Crosse.

Grzegorek had been scheduled to go on trial next month, before reaching the agreement. A charge of attempted murder was dismissed as part of the plea.

He faces a 40-year maximum prison sentence and supervision for the kidnapping.

Grzegorek admitted to running into the woman on the trail near Gundersen Health System, but denied trying to attack her.

The victim said her attacker chased her, knocked her down and tried to drag her away before she yelled for help and he ran.