Police arrest man who allegedly attacked 80-year-old woman, stole purse

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man was arrested and accused of knocking down an 80-year-old woman to steal her purse while she was leaving physical therapy on Randolph Road.

Jamie Harris used the woman's credit card in south Charlotte, police said.

(Jamie Harris)

Elizabeth Malcolmb had injuries to her face from the fall.

She celebrated going from a walker to a cane Monday, moments before she got dragged down face first onto a curb.

"Had I seen him coming toward me, had I noticed that he was intent on that, he would have gotten this cane right in his snout," Malcolmb said Tuesday laughing. “Right in his face."

Malcolmb believes he targeted her at Orthocarolina.

She noticed him in the parking lot as she left her appointment around noon but thought he was going inside.

"Someone came rushing from behind me very, very fast, grabbed the purse handle and dragged me along with the purse," Malcolmb said. "I hit full face onto the curb, and I fractured a bone in my left cheekbone."

Malcolmb remembered several people running to help her.

"I was screaming pretty loudly,” she said. “I got a pretty good scream."

She felt anger at first but later felt pity for her assailant.

"I felt sorry for the person whose life was so degraded they had to take advantage of someone in my compromised position," Malcolmb said.

She'd still like to see him caught and wants to warn others to be more cautious.

Doctors told Malcolmb she's lucky to still see out of her left eye, but she'll need to see a surgeon about her broken cheekbone.

The assailant got away with her keys and credit cards, which have already generated some leads for police.

There have been no arrests.

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