82-year-old woman rear-ended by another driver who ended up assaulting her with his fists

DETROIT (WXYZ) - "Stop hitting her! Stop hitting her like that!" That's what Sandra Duncan says she screamed when she saw a man beating an elderly woman after what appeared to be a fender bender on Pinehurst Street in Northwest Detroit.

It happened late Tuesday morning after the unidentified man rear-ended the 82-year-old woman who had just turned onto Pinehurst from W. McNichols Rd.

When the elderly woman got out of her vehicle to inspect the damages, Duncan says the man grabbed her and began to beat her in the chest with his fists.

7 Action News spoke with the woman Thursday night. She asked us not to use her name, but she did describe what happened.

"He just came over and grabbed me… literally lifted me off the ground. He’s a big man" she says. She also says she yelled at the man, "Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Why are you doing this?"

Duncan yelled out for her husband and other neighbors to help the elderly woman who was alone in her vehicle.

The man, who also appeared to be alone, took off in an older red Pontiac Grand Am. Witnesses were able to write down the license plate, but we're told the plate did not match the vehicle.

As a result of the assault, the elderly woman experienced chest pains and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Duncan and her neighbors are just hoping the man may have told someone of the assault on the woman and that person will call police with his name or other information that might help track him down.

"This is an 82-year-old and she didn't deserve to be beat down out of her shoe like that. He hit her so hard that her shoe came off her foot," said Duncan.

Anyone with any information on this assault is urged to call Detroit Police at (313) 596-5640.