Man arrested after punching 81-year-old woman, taking her car in Westchester, police say
Man arrested after punching 81-year-old woman, taking her car in Westchester, police say
by City News Service
A suspected carjacker accused of punching an 81-year-old woman before leading police on a chase from Westchester to the Mid-City area, where he drove on sidewalks, crashed into a police cruiser and attempted to flee on foot, was in custody.
The man allegedly used bodily force to steal a sedan on Thursday at a gas station at 7550 S. Sepulveda Blvd., said Sgt. Keith Hopkins of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The 81-year-old victim recounted the attack to Fox11.
“I was getting gas and the man came up and asked for a ride and I told him, ‘No, no,’ and shouted at him,” the woman said. “He had undone my gas (cap) and was pounding on the car like, ‘Look, you left it open,’ so I got out to shut it and he punched me and kicked me.”
The woman fell to the ground and watched as the assailant drove off in her car.
Officers quickly located the man and pursued him to the Mid-City area, where he drove onto sidewalks several times to avoid capture. He also steered directly into a police SUV at Washington Boulevard near Westmoreland Avenue, police said.
No injuries were immediately reported, Hopkins said.
“Fortunately, traffic wasn’t as bad as it normally is on a Thursday at this time,” Hopkins said.
The suspect’s name was not immediately released. He repeatedly banged his head against the inside of a police vehicle, prompting authorities to call for paramedics, who took him to a hospital, Fox11 reported.
Wearing a large bandage on the right side of her face, where she had been punched, the victim said she was grateful officers were able to arrest the suspect.
“Very happy, so he can’t do this to anyone else,” she said.
All credit goes to City News Service
Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com
