LOWELL, MA (WBZ/CNN) - A Massachusetts woman is in custody after authorities said she carjacked a cab, then crashed it into a dump truck and pole.
Part of the incident was caught on cellphone video.
The video showed cab driver Jimmy Gauthier being dragged down the street by his own ride.
"This is assault on an elderly citizen," Gauthier said. "I'm 65 years old."
The 23-year-old woman police identified as Leonilda Cruz, is charged with stealing Jimmy's Cab.
“She opens the driver's door, tries to pull me out of the car, I'm refusing, she starts hitting me in face, it does nothing cause she's only 90 pounds," Gauthier said.
But he said Cruz got behind the wheel and threw the cab into reverse.
"I was holding on underneath the door and she dragged me about 10, 15 feet, so she hit the telephone pole, and then she took off," Gauthier said.
After hitting the pole, Lowell police said Cruz smashed into a truck going an estimated 70 mph.
"I got out of the car to see if she was OK, and all of a sudden she ran toward me, tried to jump in my truck, steal my truck,” said the truck’s driver. “I ripped her out of the truck, said ‘get the hell out of here.’ "
But Cruz wasn't done looking for a ride.
When police arrived on scene, she jumped into police car but an officer was able to take her into custody for hospital treatment.
Cruz’s mother said her daughter has a history of mental illness and substance abuse.
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