Three suspects accused of brutally carjacking a 74-year-old woman outside a DeKalb County gas station last month remain behind bars after two of them lost their bond motions.
Rosa Smith was vacuuming her SUV at a Chevron on Gresham Road on Dec. 5 when a man ran up to her vehicle, opened the driver’s-side door and began punching her.
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Surveillance footage released by police that evening showed the suspect drive off in the SUV after injuring the woman and leaving her on the ground.
Smith was taken to the hospital with “severe facial injuries,” DeKalb police said at the time. Her dog, who was inside the vehicle during the carjacking, was found later that night wandering in a southwest Atlanta road.
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Authorities charged three people in connection with the incident: 17-year-old Aaron Johnson, 20-year-old Joshua Bryant and 19-year-old Tiffany Swanson.
ALSO: 2 remaining suspects arrested in carjacking of 74-year-old woman
Johnson, who is charged with robbery by force and abuse of an elder, remains in jail after being denied bond at a recent hearing, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office said Friday.
He’s also charged with robbery by snatch, elder exploitation and pointing a pistol in connection with another carjacking that occurred two days later, DeKalb County Jail records show.
In that case, Johnson allegedly approached a woman as she got out of her Mercedes-Benz in the parking lot of a Lithonia Kroger, snatched her keys and pointed a gun at her before leaving the scene in her car, according to a DeKalb police report.
Bryant, who is accused of attacking Smith outside the Gresham Park gas station, faces charges of robbery by force, abuse of an elder and aggravated battery. He was previously granted a $30,000 bond, but must remain in jail after a judge granted DeKalb prosecutors’ request to have his bond increased.
Swanson is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Jan. 23, authorities said.
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