A Two Harbors, Minn., woman made off with a stolen purse from a Cub Foods in Maplewood this past winter and then with her car dragged a man who tried to stop her for nearly 20 feet, authorities say.
When the man let go, Danay Patrice Canty ran over his leg before taking off in her 2002 Honda Accord, according to a criminal complaint filed against her Tuesday in Ramsey County District Court.
Canty, 53, now faces charges via warrant of first-degree aggravated robbery, check forgery, theft and criminal vehicular operation resulting in substantial bodily harm.
The Two Harbors woman was at a Cub Foods on the 2900 block of White Bear Avenue in Maplewood on Feb. 18 when she grabbed a purse out of a shopper’s grocery cart as the woman was looking at some tomatoes, charges say.
As she took off, a man in the grocery store heard the commotion and took off after Canty, the complaint said.
He stuck his hand inside her vehicle as she attempted to close her door and flee the scene and told her to hand over the stolen purse, authorities say.
Instead, she “floored it,” and dragged the man through the parking lot for about 20 feet before driving over his left leg, the complaint said.
Later that day, Canty used a checkbook from inside the stolen purse to write herself a check for $550, according to the complaint.
Two Harbors police made contact with her the next day, after discovering her car parked near a woman’s shelter.
Canty declined to speak with officers about the incident at the time but later told Maplewood police she would meet them to discuss what happened, saying it was a misunderstanding and not a hit-and-run, the complaint said.
Canty never showed up for any of the scheduled meetings, authorities say.
The man whose leg she ran over still experiences numbness and pain in the area he was struck, the complaint said.
Canty has no notable criminal record in Minnesota.
She could not be reached for comment and no attorney was listed for her in court records.