BALLSTON, NY — A suspect remains at large after allegedly stealing a purse and striking a woman with a vehicle in a McDonald’s parking lot Thursday evening.
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office responded to a robbery call at 6:25 p.m. at the McDonald’s on Church Avenue.
A white male allegedly stole a pocketbook from the passenger side of a vehicle in the parking lot, then ran back to his own vehicle which was also parked in the lot.
The owner of the pocketbook, a 76-year-old woman from Ballston Spa, attempted to confront the male by approaching his vehicle.
The suspect reportedly put his vehicle in reverse, struck the woman and fled the scene.
The male abandoned the vehicle, which had been reported stolen from Colonie, behind Mabey’s Moving and Storage on state Route 67.
He was seen fleeing on foot into the wooded area east of the store.
The suspect was identified through investigation as Joseph Hess, 32, of Frankfort.
He was described as being approximately 6 feet 3 inches tall, with long brown hair, wearing a long-sleeved white t-shirt and blue jeans.
Hess is also wanted on an arrest warrant out of Frankfort for criminal possession of a weapon in the 3rd degree, a class D felony.
The victim was transported to Albany Medical Center for evaluation and treatment of compound leg fractures.
Anyone encountering the suspect is asked to contact 911 immediately.
