A crazed homeless man attacked two women in California earlier this month, leaving one briefly unconscious and the other in a coma.
Mary Klein, 54, was taking her nightly walk around 10:30 p.m. at the canals in Venice, Calif., when Anthony Jones, 29, allegedly ambushed her from behind, knocking her unconscious, and taking out her two front teeth on April 6.
“I think he was trying to kill me,” she told KTLA. “It was like being hit by a truck.”
An hour later, he attacked another woman, who was not identified, at the canals, leaving her in a coma, according to KTLA.
Klein was walking when Jones knocked her down and bludgeoned her in the head and face, knocking her unconscious.
By the time she woke up, the man was gone and she went home, she told NBC Los Angeles. She fell asleep and went to work the next day.
“I didn’t know I was in bad shape,” she told NBC Los Angeles. “I had a really bad bleed. He had really knocked my head.”
The attack left her with broken teeth, a broken jaw that is now wired shut, and a large gash on the back of her head, multiple contusions, and bruises on her face and neck, according to KTLA.
She will require multiple surgeries and physical therapy, relatives told the outlet.
Klein is now up and walking, as of today, and had to undergo facial reconstruction, according to a GoFundMe.
Another woman is believed to have been attacked by Jones an hour later at the canals and was left in a coma.
“I was crying because I was so worried about the other girl [victim] and I hope she makes it,” the home healthcare nurse told KTLA. “I’m lucky I survived and I feel so sad for her and I hope she’s okay.”
Jones, who is believed to be homeless, was arrested on Friday and police believe the two attacks were random.
Police said both attacks had a “sexual element” to them, KTLA said. It is unclear what that was.
Jones was charged with two counts of attempted murder and is being held at the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center on a $3.25 million bail.
The soon-to-be grandmother said she hopes Jones received life in prison and is calling on local officials to prioritize mental health and drug issues, as well as, homelessness.
