WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – Last month, an 88-year-old woman was left badly bruised after she was carjacked in the parking lot of a Walmart in Livonia.
Gloria Kevelighan took the stand Thursday to testify against the suspect and his alleged accomplice.
Jason Malinas, 38, of Sterling Heights and Jessica St. Clair, 41, of Wayne were arrested and are facing carjacking, unarmed robbery charges. They are also charged with five counts of stealing a financial transaction device.
Kevelighan's testimony was emotional and surveillance video showed the day of the attack that left her on the ground just inches away from her car as it was driven away.
Prosecutors presented the case alleging Malinas and St. Clair were in and out of the Walmart throughout the day of the attack.
Kevelighan arrived at 3 p.m., parked her Silver Ford Escape and got out. She described what happened next.
"Before I knew it, he was on me and tugging my purse, I had to let him have it or he would have broke my arm because he was strong," Kevelighan said. "I wanted to hit him with my cane but it happened in seconds. He was so fast. I thought he was going to rob me. I didn't think he was going to take my car."
Prosecutors said St. Clair got in the passenger side of the vehicle before Malinas drove off.
"If I was toward the back he would've run over me," Kevelighan said.
The attack left Kevelighan badly bruised. Local 4 spoke with her the day after the attack. She was angry but in good spirits.
"Like I told them at the hospital, I'm a tough broad," she said.
On Thursday, she said that it has been hard for her to recover.
"Can't get it off my mind, can't sleep at night, always afraid," she said. "I didn't do anything to deserve this."
Police said Malinas left behind a backpack at the scene with his ID. He also signed a complete confession, apologizing to Kevelighan.
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