Police find victim of bizarre gas station attack
The Associated Press
3/12/04 3:05 PM
LAPLACE, La. (AP) -- St. John the Baptist Parish detectives have located a woman who they believe was the victim of a bizarre hit-and-run in LaPlace over the weekend.
Police received several independent witness reports of a man backing a car into a woman, knocking her to the ground partially under the vehicle -- but not under the wheels -- then picking her up and driving off.
Authorities at first were not sure what to make of the reports because they could not find evidence of blood at the scene or track down the victim, even after checking with hospitals.
But they were finally able to find the victim after first tracking down the owner of the vehicle witnesses said they saw in the attack. The owner had lent the car to the victim the day of the alleged attack, St. John Sheriff's spokesman Capt. Mike Tregre said.
A relative of the woman persuaded her to cooperate with detectives, Tregre said.
"She's afraid ... and was very apprehensive about coming forward," Tregre said. "But we are building a case based on witnesses' accounts."
Detectives think the woman, a 52-year-old Metairie resident, was run over by a friend, Sammy Weber, 33, also of Metairie. Authorities say the two apparently had an argument about money.
Deputies were searching for Weber on Friday afternoon.
Authorities would not release the woman's name out of concern for her safety, Tregre said.
Deputies received three separate witness accounts of the alleged attack Saturday around 6 p.m.
Witnesses said the two were arguing as the woman drove into the parking lot and got out of the vehicle. The man got into the driver's seat and the woman began beating on the rear window, demanding to be let in, when the man backed over her.
The woman told detectives she doesn't remember being hit by the car.
"She has a swollen face and she doesn't remember if it came from being hit in the face or from being knocked down," Tregre said.
