SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — A Summit County woman who is a mother and grandmother is sharing her story after a man assaulted and nearly carjacked her.
Missy, who doesn’t want to share her full name, said she was driving home from work around 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. She typically takes the highway but decided to take the long way which took her down West Market Street in Akron.
“It was so pretty out. I turned the air off on my car, opened the windows and listened to some music,” she said.
She noticed, though, that there was a dark SUV following her. It went on for about 20 minutes, she recalls.
“I thought it was strange that the windows were so dark in his car,” she said. “He was close enough that I couldn’t even see the front plate and that was what really started to make me wonder, ‘Why is he so close to me?’”
She stopped at a red light on West Market Street and West Street, and that’s when a gun was pointing in her face out of the driver’s side window.
“An individual ran out of the car, came up to the driver’s side of my car, and had a gun. He used some very explicit words and told me to give him my car. I was upset and I was shaken up but then at the same time I said, 'I’m not giving you my car,'” Missy said.
The man hit her head with the gun but at the same time, she reached down and got her pepper spray.
“I pulled out the spray. I hit the clip and I just started spraying,” she said.
The pepper spray forced the man to get back into the SUV and take off. Missy said police got to her within minutes.
“They were like my big brothers, like we are here now, it’s okay, because during that time I was pretty distraught. I was angry. I was upset and my adrenaline was taking over and I just reacted.”
She said she is still upset.
“Just looking at the barrel was very devastating,” she said. “I called my daughter and I just wanted my grand-babies and I just wanted to see everybody. I just wanted my family.”
Missy said, despite it all, she feels lucky because she walked away with no major injuries, but she said in hindsight she would’ve given up her car.
“ I should’ve just gave up my car because you have insurance on cars, cars can be replaced, but people can’t,” she said. “I was just, I’m mad. I’m mad that you tried to take something from me that I work so hard to pay for, no that’s not going to happen. I’m sorry, get a job.”
She is hopeful the people responsible will be found.
In a press release, Akron Police said:
The suspect was described as a black male wearing a surgical mask. He had a thin build and wore medium to long braids or dreadlocks, a black hooded sweatshirt, light gray jeans, and red and white tennis shoes.
Detectives are working to identify the suspect involved in this incident and determine what, if any, relation this incident may have with other similar crimes in the surrounding area.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip.
The Summit County Crimestoppers are also availanle for tips. Please call 330-434-COPS or text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637.