An 83-year-old woman was violently attacked in the parking lot of a Florida convenience store, and then robbed of her lottery winnings just minutes after she claimed them.
The incident occurred Wednesday outside Buddy’s Food and Lotto on Curry Ford Road in Orlando, according to a press release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Ruth Monroe was making her way to her car, prize money in hand, when the suspect, Diego Tavarez Fleury, rushed at her and then attempted to grab her cash, surveillance video shows. Fleury takes a step back when they’re approached by the store manager, but once again goes after Monroe, this time dragging her to the ground, where he wrestles the money from her hands.
Fleury then fled, despite the store manager’s best efforts to stop him. He was taken into custody on Thursday after a brief manhunt and is facing one count of of sudden snatching and battery on a person 65 years of age or older. No other details were provided regarding his arrest.
Monroe, a regular at the store, later recalled the moment she decided to let go of her lottery winnings.
“I’m 83, I’ve never gotten punched,” she told WESH. “But that look on his face that he was about ready to … that’s when he pulled it out of my hand and went that way.”
She has since returned to the scene of crime, where she purchased another lottery ticket.