Woman donates car to crash victim who got attacked by driver

Local 4 viewer steps in to help after seeing story at 6 p.m.

DETROIT – A woman who saw Local 4's story at 6 p.m. Wednesday has stepped up to donate a car to a Detroit woman who was attacked by another driver after a crash on the city's west side.

Theresa Long, 59, said she was worried about how she would get to work after her car was smashed Tuesday night while she was driving down Greenfield Road.

Long said she hit a car that ran a red light. The front end of her car was smashed and the air bags deployed. She said she pulled into a parking lot, trying to get away from a woman who had tried to pull her out of the car in the intersection.

Long said the attack left her with pain in her head and elsewhere on her body. She said she didn't have time to react to the vicious attack, but her greatest concern was finding a way to get to work.

Luckily, a Local 4 viewer came to her rescue.

Meri Slaven saw the story on Local 4 News at 6 and stepped in to help.

"I just felt her pain at that moment," Slaven said.

Slaven and her son have been trying to sell their 2004 Cavalier for a year.

"We just kept lowering the price and lowering the price, so it's like, make somebody have a nice Christmas," Slaven said.

She decided to give Long the Cavalier.

"I said a prayer the other day, and a voice in my head said, 'If you want to be blessed, be a blessing,'" Slaven said.

Local 4's Jermont Terry took some pictures of the car and passed them along to Long while she recovered from soreness at the hospital.

The car is 14 years old and has more than 140,000 miles on it, but for Long, it's a life-saver.

"Thank you so much," Long said over the phone. "God bless you, because you're blessing me with this car. I love it. Thank you so much."

Local 4 cameras captured the other driver attacking Long after the crash. Long said it was the second time the woman jumped her after the car crash.

"I'm sitting in the car getting my ID, (and) this girl comes up running and just started attacking me while I was in my car," Long said. "I kicked her off of me and I ran to the gas station and told them to call 911."

After police arrived, Long thought it was safe to get out of her car, but she was wrong.

"I was trying to talk to them, but it was not talking to them, they were cussing me out," Long said. "Saying, 'You're going to pay for this.' No, you're going to pay for this."

The investigation revealed the driver of the white Dodge tried crossing Greenfield and, in the process, slammed into Long's Toyota. The car is destroyed, leaving her with no way to get to work.

"My boss just offered me a full-time position," Long said. "I was working part time and I was so excited. I'm staying here with my daughter. I'm falling on hard times, and I thought this would be the pick-up to get myself back together."

Besides being without a car, the attack left Long in pain and fear. Police arrested the other woman, and Long hopes she stays locked up.

"Please, just think before you react, because you don't know what the outcome is going to be," Long said.

Long said she plans to press charges against the other driver.

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About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.