police say man punched woman in the face on Saturday

A woman was repeatedly punched in the face and thrown over a fence in Central Park by a man who police say tried to rape her.

Police said the 38-year-old woman was walking near the park around 5 a.m. Saturday when she was approached by the stranger.

Police say he approached her along East Drive and pushed her over a metal fence.

He then punched her in the face several times and tried to rape the women, police said.

The man fled the park and onto 5th Avenue on a bicycle. Police released surveillance images of the suspected suspect on Sunday morning.

The woman was picked up by doctors and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.