A man facing robbery and battery charges for allegedly knocking down an elderly woman outside a Dania Beach Publix and stealing $60 from her told a judge he has $42,000 in the bank during a court appearance Wednesday.
Kyle Austin Scheer, 37, was arrested on robbery, battery on a person over 65, and petty theft following the Tuesday incident at the grocery store.
Scheer had approached 79-year-old Maryann Bruno as she left an ATM machine, knocked her to the ground and ran off with her credit card and $60 she had in her hand, according to an arrest report read by Broward Circuit Judge John Hurley in court.
As Scheer ran through the parking lot, employees chased him down and one was able to tackle him to the ground and hold him until police arrived, Hurley said.
Bruno had pain and swelling to her head and had to be taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood for treatment, Hurley said.
"I'm walking and all of a sudden I'm hit, it was like a dervish, and down I went," Bruno told NBC 6 Wednesday.
She said she was hit sideways and could hear her head crack as she hit the pavement.
"Then with his other hand he grabbed the money and took off running and people started screaming, stop him!" Bruno recounted.
She expressed her thanks to the people who jumped in to help.
"I thought it was wonderful. I'm very grateful, I'm glad he's not out on the streets," she said.
During Scheer's appearance in court, he told Hurley he was a certified general contractor and had $42,000 in the bank.
"It looks like you ambushed a woman, a 79-year-old woman, to take $60 and what's even more concerning is that you have $42,000 in the bank, so perhaps, the court is concerned that this was not just motivated by financial gain," Hurley said.
Scheer was also on probation for kidnapping, false imprisonment and domestic battery by strangulation charges.
Hurley ordered Scheer held on $101,000 bond. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.
