Search for suspect who attacked, carjacked Athens grandmother
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ATHENS, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) – It was a brutal crime which terrified a 73-year-old Athens grandmother. Athens-Clarke County Police said a carjacker ambushed her, beat her, threatened to kill her, and eventually stole her car.
It happened at the Sparkle Car Wash located at 4020 Lexington Road around 1:45 p.m. on Nov. 21. Police said the suspect asked the grandmother for a dollar before turning violent.
“He come up to my car and wanted to know if I had change for a dollar,” the victim said. “He had a gun, I think it was wrapped in a shirt or something right here, and he showed it to me. He said, ‘You don’t want to die today.’ I said, ‘No I don’t.’”
Still shaken, her face and hand badly bruised days after the attack, the elderly victim asked FOX 5 News not to show her full face as she recounted the frightening ordeal.
“I reached over was going to get my pocketbook and in the meantime, he come around me and get in my car. And I guess I was fighting or something trying to get him out but he hit me on the head twice.”
The suspect threatened her, showing the woman his gun, struck her again then took off in her car, a blue 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe.
“After he left I was bleeding from my head I had a sweater on I just wrapped it around my head and this guy he was washing his car and he called the police.”
Police are asking for help to find the vehicle. It had Georgia tag RMA 2543 and had an “Army Mom” sticker on the back window.
“I’m just thankful to be alive ‘cuz he could’ve shot me.”
A good description of the suspect is not yet available and police are still searching for good surveillance video.
“I just hope they find him. He needs what’s coming to him.”
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Video: Vallejo grandmother attacked while trying to retrieve her stolen car
by: Vince Cestone
Posted: Jul 29, 2016 / 05:18 AM PDT
Updated: Jul 29, 2016 / 05:18 AM PDT
VALLEJO (KRON) — A Vallejo grandmother was dragged, punched, and run over while trying to retrieve her stolen car.
The violent crime happened as the woman scoured her neighborhood, trying to recover her vehicle, which was stolen the day before.
Now, Vallejo police are on the case. KRON’s Alecia Reid talked to the woman who was brutally attacked.
The 61-year-old grandmother said she is scared for her life because she has been dragged, kicked, and punched by the person that stole her car.
The victim has road rash all over her body from being dragged by her car. She said she also has pain in her chest and stomach from being punched and kicked by her attacker.
It all started Tuesday when she noticed her car was stolen from in front of her home. A day later, she started pressing the clicker for her car and heard the alarm go off.
The vehicle was only doors away. She automatically tried getting in and driving home. That is when she said a man walked out of a nearby house and attacked her.
The victim said while all this was happening, the suspect was threatening her.
“If you don’t get out of this car, I’m going to shoot you. I’m going to kill you. He [the suspect] said that twice” said the woman, who would not give her name. His wife helped too.”
The suspect’s wife helped too, the victim said.
Soon after the car was stolen, the thief found her handbag that was in the trunk, and went on a shopping spree, buying hundreds of dollars worth of groceries, a car wash, and even tried buying jewelry.
He was caught on surveillance camera trying to buy goods from the Bonfare Market on Redwood Parkway. By then, the cards were all canceled.
He eventually gave up.
KRON spoke with a lieutenant from the Vallejo Police Department, and he said they have very strong leads in this case and are determined to resolve it soon.
The victim said a couple of weeks ago, the same man that stole her car startled her as she was parking in front of her home really late at night, asking for directions.
None of it made sense until this brutal attack took place.
