Grandmother fights off would-be carjackers

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Police say a woman had just gotten into her car and was about to shut the door, when suddenly she realized carjackers were there.  Instead of giving up, granny decided to fight.

"I was scared to death the whole time, from the time I realized someone was about to break in and pull me out, I was scared to death," said 72-year-old Carol Ann Hall.

Hall uses crutches for a leg injury she sustained during the incident.  She said she may be old, but she's no one's target.  According to Winter Garden Police, two guys tried carjacking her and a friend after the Blues and BBQ Fest on Saturday night.

"As I went to shut my door, I felt a tug at the door, and I look and there's a man there, and he said, 'This is a carjacking! Get out!"

This grandmother to 11 kids took a stand.

"'No! You're not taking my car, you're not!' We were just fighting with him. He finally got the upper part of my body out, and pulled my shirt off, tearing my shirt," she explained.  "I was just struggling with him, and I got bruises on my back and stuff from the steering wheel and the door jam."

Police said the man grabbed the keys out of Carol Ann's hand. At the same time, her 21-year-old friend, Morgan, struggled to keep her door closed from the other carjacker. Suddenly something spooked the men and they ran away, but only for a brief moment.

"Morgan was talking to 911 when she looked and saw them coming back, and started screaming that they were coming back."

The ladies knew they couldn't out-run the young suspects.

"I pulled on the door. I was trying to hold it but I couldn't hold it shut. He got it open again. I was struggling with him when all of a sudden I hear this crash, because they had thrown a brick through a window."

Glass shattered everywhere.  Shortly after that, police arrived and caught the men.  Shannon Taylor, 26,  and Lucius Jeanfort, 20, are charged with battery and attempted carjacking.

Police say it will cost around $500 to replace Carol Ann's window and $300 to replace her car key, which was taken by the suspects.

"My grandchildren are proud of me. Other people think I was stupid to fight him. They think I should have just gotten out of the car and let them steal it."

This brave great grandmother who raised six of her kids on her own, says she doesn't regret fighting.

"I'm sorer today. I think all the adrenaline is wearing off.  I'm glad to be alive and I thank God he protected us."

Carol Ann said she took two days off to recover and plans to go back to her job at Walt Disney World on Tuesday.