77-year-old woman fights off Kennewick robber

A 77-year-old woman fought off a would-be robber Thursday morning after he punched her several times.

The woman had driven home from a casino and was about to get out of her car at 2:20 a.m. on the 100 block of North Irby Street between West Kennewick and Clearwater avenues. She had won some money gambling, police said.

Before she could leave her car, a man approached her and hit her several times in the cheek. He tried to steal the money she won and her car keys, police said. She fought back by kicking him until he ran away.

A Kennewick police dog tried to track the suspect, but no one was found. The victim said she heard “a vehicle with a loud exhaust” drive away around the same time. Police also reviewed security camera footage at the casino.

The woman, who was not named, described the suspect as a black man, about 25 years old, wearing a gray sweatshirt and dark-colored beanie hat.

Anyone with information is asked to call 509-628-0333.

This story was originally published September 1, 2016 at 10:28 AM with the headline "77-year-old woman fights off Kennewick robber."