Woman dragged by car in downtown robbery
Jul. 1—A middle-aged woman was taken to a hospital to be checked for injuries after apparently being dragged by a car for a couple of blocks in what police termed a robbery shortly before 1 p.m. today in downtown Joplin.
The woman, whose name has not been released, was reported to be in stable condition at Mercy Hospital Joplin.
Sgt. Tom Bowin of the Joplin Police Department said the incident began on Virginia Avenue near the Messenger Towers apartments and ended at the intersection of Fourth and Main streets where witnesses reported seeing the woman lose her grip on a door of the car and be sent sprawling along the street.
"The victim was dragged by the car to that location at Fourth and Main," Bowin said.
He said he did not know if she was dragged all the way from the starting point near Messenger Towers. A witness reported seeing her clinging to a door of the vehicle through a window as she was being dragged along Fourth Street to Main.
Police were looking for a four-door 2000s model sedan, the exact color of which remained in question, according to Bowin, A Globe employee who witnessed a portion of the incident described the color as "goldish."
Bowin said he did not have any information as to what was taken from the woman. He also did not have any information as to the number of occupants of the vehicle or if the victim knew them.
"She was conscious and giving us a statement, but I don't know the details of it," Bowin told the Globe.
Jeff Lehr is a reporter for The Joplin Globe.
