CINCINNATI -- Popular radio host Natalie Jones was returning home just before midnight after working a shift at Q102 earlier this month when she was blindsided and robbed.
"I didn't hear anything at all," Jones said. "I suspected nothing, and just all of a sudden it happened and I was hit over the head."
Jones had been hit with a gun. She said the man then pointed the gun in her face and asked for her phone. She handed it over and ran.
Police said that area of Clifton historically isn't used to seeing a lot of serious crime, but they've seen an uptick in burglaries and robberies in the last month. Officers are now patrolling the area more heavily.
Jones managed to flag down people nearby to help and was driven to the hospital, where she received 10 staples to the head.
Jones said she gained some valuable life lessons: "To be an advocate for yourself, to be aware of your surroundings and to have your stuff backed up. We all keep our lives on our cellphones, and I'm lucky my wallet wasn't on the back of my cellphone." Now she's using her platform as a radio DJ to share her story and offer advice to help others avoid a similar situation.
"Just ... be safe and stay confident," she said. "It was definitely scary, but you can't let that stuff ruin your life. You got to keep on moving."
The suspect has not been arrested so far. But investigators were able to ping the location of Jones' stolen phone to where it had been tossed, thanks to the "Find My iPhone" app.
