A Stuart man was arrested in connection with a February incident involving a 76-year-old woman, according to Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith.
Carlos Luis Rodriguez, 33, was charged on Monday, July 8, with robbery in connection with a Feb. 3 incident.
Then, a woman told investigators she had arrived home from church, got out of her car and was walking to her home on Goblintown Road. Before she could enter her home, the woman alleged she was attacked by an unknown assailant and her pocketbook was stripped from her body, Smith said.
The woman managed to crawl into her home, but was physically unable to call for help, according to Smith.
“The victim laid on her living room floor until she was found by her sister, three days later,” the sheriff stated in a Monday news release. Smith said that the victim was hospitalized for several days following the alleged attack.
Information she provided was limited regarding her alleged attacker’s description, Smith said, adding that his office received a tip recently that helped lead to the arrest Monday.
Investigator Steve Austin was originally assigned to the case back in February, and “never gave up” on solving the crime,” Smith said. “Strong community support and a willingness to persevere have put a dangerous criminal behind bars.”
Smith said the woman was unknown to her alleged assailant and that the attack was completely random.
Rodriguez is being held in the Patrick County Jail without bail.