Three good Samaritans, including two army reservists, saved a woman who was being attacked during an attempt to theft of cars in Camden County, New Jersey, authorities said.
The incident was developed on Thursday around 8:30 am in Jackson Road, near Waverly Avenue’s intersection in the municipality of Waterford. Police said a man, later identified as Rondean McDonald, 45, took his vehicle from the road and crashed into a wooded area. A 59 -year -old woman who was driving and tried to help, police said. McDonald then opened the Women’s Passenger side and entered his car, according to the researchers.
McDonald asked the victim if he could drive him, but she refused, according to the criminal complaint. When the woman tried to call 911, McDonald grabbed her phone and threw it to the floor, police said. When the woman told her to leave the car, McDonald attacked her, scratching and placing her with her hands around her neck, strangling her, according to the criminal complaint.
Joseph Knazek said he witnessed the attack while he continued.
“She became fashionable but he was fighting her,” Knazek said. “The seat belt was trapped around his neck. He is throwing and scratching his arms and he is just screaming: ‘Drive! Drive!'”
Knazek said he jumped to try to help the woman.
“So I took my dolls as I tried to release her from the seat belt just for her to leave,” Knazek said.
Two military men, both army reservists and one of whom is a Philadelphia police officer, also noticed the attack and also jumped, the investigators said. One of the men used a fire extinguisher to enter the driver’s side and get McDonald out of the car, according to the officials. Then they held him until the police arrived on the scene, authorities said.
The victim was taken to the hospital as a stable condition. McDonald, meanwhile, was arrested and accused of several crimes, including car theft and drunk driving
