WOMAN ATTACKED & MACED IN HOME

POLICE SEARCH FOR SUSPECTS

Elyria – A 67 year old Elyria woman was attacked in her Hawthorne Street home Tuesday afternoon and Police are now searching for two suspects.

Diana Eglin lives across the street from the victim and was watching through her window as the suspects pulled into the driveway. “There were two men in the van; the younger of the two got out of the passenger side first then the driver. The driver was on a cell phone the entire time and was carrying a big briefcase with handles and I figured they must be like insurance men or something.”

Eglin says that the man on the cell phone first walked up to the front door while the younger man paced around in the yard. Within a minute the victim opened the door and the two men went inside. “At that point I went back into the kitchen to do something then a couple minutes later I looked back out and I saw them leaving. When they came outside the tall guy was still on his phone and the other one walked into the yard next door and stood there for a minute – then they both got back into the van and just drove away.”

Eglin was unaware that inside the home the two men had forced the woman into a bedroom, beat her, sprayed her with mace, duct taped her mouth and tried to tie her up. The victim had been able to free her hands and began screaming.

It was at this point that the victim fled the house and ran to a used car lot located just next door to the home crying and screaming. The employees were unable to understand the woman’s words as she only speaks Chinese but were able to gather that she had been assaulted and contacted the Police.

Officers quickly arrived at the woman’s home and with the help of her son were able to start piecing the story together to begin their investigation.

LifeCare Ambulance Paramedics were called to the scene to access the victim and as a precaution transported her to Elyria Memorial Hospital for further evaluation.

In the meantime Eglin stood across the street shaken and disturbed by what she had seen. “I really feel bad, I watched it happen but I didn’t know. The men from the car lot said that the men shot mace at her and hit her in the face. When I saw her I could see where they hit her by her eye. They tried to tie her up but she started screaming and apparently that made them leave.”

Eglin said that although there is no Block Watch in her neighborhood she always keeps an eye on her neighbors. “It’s just what a neighbor should do for another neighbor. I hope and I think they will keep an eye on me and my house too.”

The Elyria Police Department Detective Bureau was on scene and continues to investigate the crime.

Suspect 1: 40-year-old white male, or possibly Asian according to Elgin, approximately 6 feet tall with black hair and a mustache – stocky build and wearing light colored dress pants, sweater and jacket.
Suspect 2: 30-year-old white male, short hair wearing blue jeans and a jacket.

Anyone with information on the two suspects are asked to contact the Elyria Police Department at 440.323.3302.

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