Local man gets 12 years in attack on Blade carrier

7/12/2006

An East Toledo man who assaulted and tried to rob a woman delivering The Blade was sentenced yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to 12 years in prison.

Rudy J. Lopez, 39, of 206 Navarre Ave., was sentenced by Judge Frederick McDonald. A jury found Lopez guilty on June 14 of aggravated robbery and felonious assault.

Police arrested him in December after he entered a sport utility vehicle at Clark and Nevada streets and struggled with Theresa Hamrick, causing the vehicle to accelerate forward and backward twice and then throw the woman from the SUV.

Lopez tried to speed away but crashed into a parked car. Officers found Ms. Hamrick lying near the street. She was taken to a local hospital and treated for her injuries.