A Portland man drowned Sunday in Back Cove after fleeing police and jumping into the water, Lt. Robert Martin said.

The man, 25, whose identity was not immediately released, was the subject of a call to police about a woman being assaulted near the Miss Portland Diner on Marginal Way.

Before Portland police arrived at Marginal Way about 1 p.m., the man “fled across the interstate and made his way to the Back Cove running path,” Martin said in a statement. “Police located him on the trail near the I-295 off-ramps and witnessed him jump into the water.”

Martin said a fire department rescue boat was launched and pulled the man from the water.

“He was in the water for approximately 24 minutes,” Martin said. “The subject was treated on scene and then transported to the Maine Medical Center, where he died.”

The alleged assault victim, a 24-year-old woman, was “determined to be the girlfriend of the suspect,” Martin said.

She was released after treatment at Maine Med for injuries that were not life-threatening. “A witness to the incident tried to assist the victim and was also assaulted, but he did not require hospitalization,” Martin said.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call Portland police at 874-8575.

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