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Campaign Volunteer Given Polygraph About Attack

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Oct 24, 2008 7:24 am US/Eastern

Campaign Volunteer Given Polygraph About Attack

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) ― Police investigating an alleged attack on a volunteer for the McCain campaign tell KDKA they are now looking into some inconsistencies in her story.

While authorities confirm that Ashley Todd has taken a polygraph test, they would not release the results of that test.

Todd, 20, told police she was robbed at knifepoint at an ATM and knocked down by a man who then carved a "B" in her face after noticing a sticker for the presidential candidate on her car.

Police said the Texas woman refused medical attention. According to the police report, the responding officer saw an injury on Todd's face, but the officer did not describe the wound.

Todd reported the attack late Wednesday.

"We're looking at all angles at this point," said Diane Richard, a spokeswoman for Pittsburgh police.

According to Todd, she was withdrawing money just before 9 p.m. Wednesday in Bloomfield when a man approached her from behind, put a knife to her throat and demanded money, police said.

She said she gave him $60.

The robber then noticed the bumper sticker, punched her in the back of the head, knocked her down and used the knife to carve a "B" on the right side of her face, Todd told police.

It was unclear what the "B" was meant to symbolize, Richard said.

Richard said the woman was unfamiliar with her surroundings and was unable to tell police which way the attacker ran.

"She told police she was robbed and beaten at an unknown location and managed to drive back to her friend's house … after the incident," said Richard. "The victim was unable to give the exact location where the incident occurred because she was very unfamiliar with the area, but she remembered attempting to use an ATM machine with green sign above it."

The attacker was described as a black male, 6'4" tall, 200 pounds with a medium build.

According to authorities, Todd did take a polygraph test; however, those test results were not released.

Investigators also say they are looking at some inconsistencies in her story, but they said that can happen in incidents such as an attack.

McCain spokesman Peter Feldman confirmed that the woman is a campaign volunteer but declined to comment further.

The Republican candidate and his running mate, Sarah Palin, called Todd on Thursday afternoon to express their concern, the campaign confirmed.

Allison Price, a spokeswoman for the Obama-Biden campaign in Pittsburgh, said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice."

Police said no police photo had been taken of the woman Wednesday, but by Thursday afternoon a purported picture of a woman with a "B" scratched into her cheek was circulating on the Internet.

Police are continuing their investigation as they review surveillance video from the bank.




(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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