Malibu

'It Scares Me to Death': Woman Dragged by Car During Robbery in Southwest Ranches Speaks

A 64-year-old woman who was dragged across a Florida gas station parking lot as she tried to stop two purse thieves says she's lucky to be alive.

Patricia Coxe said she still finds it hard to watch surveillance video of Friday's incident.

"It scares me to death when I... see that video and realize what could have happened," Coxe said, choking back tears.

The grandmother said was pumping gas at the Southwest Ranches Shell gas station at Southwest 159th Avenue and Sheridan Street Friday morning when the robbery happened. Davie Police say two men pulled up alongside her car and smashed out the passenger window to steal her purse.

"I heard this loud kaboom, turned, saw the glass shattering in my car and saw a gentleman inside my car removing my purse," Coxe said.

Surveillance video shows Coxe running after the suspect as he jumps into the waiting car. As reached inside to grab her purse, the man closed the car's door on Coxe's arm, trapping it in the vehicle and dragging her across the parking lot.

"I was screaming 'let me go, let me go, let me go!,'" Coxe said, as the man held onto her arms. "I had my phone in my hand and he was twisting my hand to get that phone."

Video captured footage of the getaway car driving off with the grandmother dangling from the window. Coxe said the man finally released her after the driver told him to let her go. The suspects got away with her purse, medical bag and cell phone.

"At no time did I think when I went to grab my purse that I would be in the situation I got in to," she said.

The incident left Coxe's arms horribly bruised and swollen. 

Police are searching for the two suspects and their vehicle, described as a late model silver Chevrolet Malibu or similar car.

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