Woman Punched, Dragged by Purse Thief in Ontario

Police were searching for a thief who punched a woman in the face and dragged her several feet as he snatched her purse in Ontario.

The victim's husband, John Young, said the man walked up to his wife, Cindy, about 1 p.m. Thursday and punched her in the head outside a Chinese restaurant they own, before grabbing her purse and dragging her down the sidewalk.

She screamed as the thief ran off with her purse to an awaiting car with a female passenger inside.

At that moment, longtime customer Chad Williams heard the screams and began following the car as it headed down Mountain Avenue and then onto the westbound 60 Freeway. He says the thief knew he was being followed because he kept speeding and making evasive maneuvers - but Williams kept in sight while keeping a safe distance away.

Williams was able to get the license plate number and description of the car: a black, 90s Honda Accord.

"As human beings, that's what we are supposed to do when you see somebody that needs help," Williams said. "You are supposed to help them out and that's what I did, and I think that anybody would do the same thing for me or anybody else."

Cindy Young suffered injuries to her arm and head. She was being treated at a local hospital and was expected to be OK, her husband said.

Investigators say they are confident that they will find the thief's car.

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