ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – A Good Samaritan buys a man a meal and gives him a ride. In return, her family says he stole her car and used it to run her over. Alyson Lyons’ family said she’s always looking to help people out but this time it landed her in the hospital. Nneka Truex cried after learning her great aunt, 62-year-old Lyons, is in the hospital after doing a good deed. “I was actually very scared,” said Truex over the phone.
The family said it all began on Tuesday in Roswell after Lyons met 22-year-old Mario Caballero in an IHOP. He couldn’t pay for his meal so Lyons offered to cover the stranger’s bill. “If she can help you she’d give anything to a stranger, church member, family,” said Truex. “She’s the sweetest old lady ever.”
Lyons’ helping hand didn’t end there. “He asked for a ride because he was trying to get to his family up at the truck stop here in Roswell because they were waiting for him to get to Albuquerque,” said Truex. The family said as the pair drove to the truck stop, Caballero asked her to pull over. That’s when they said he pulled a knife on her and tried to force her out of the car.
“She fell face-first onto the pavement and because she’s a little bit heavier,” said Truex. “The door caught onto her and he drug her to get away from the people trying to help her. Once they were able to maneuver the door off of her, he put it in drive and drove off and ran over her legs on the way to leave there.”
The family said Caballero took off in her car. New Mexico State Police said they spotted the car northbound on Highway 285, but Caballero refused to pull over and instead started a chase, going up to 120 miles per hour. Police used spike strips to finally stop the car; He was arrested.
Lyons was flown to an El Paso hospital. She’s still there getting treatment. “We’re really concerned that when she comes home she’s not going to be at, gonna be a little bit more fearful on leaving,” said Truex.
The family said Lyons has severe road rash all over her body, gashes to her head when she fell out of the car, and a fractured wrist. They’re still waiting on the x-ray results on her legs. The family said doctors were able to take her off intubation. The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with medical bills.
Caballero was arrested near the Vaughn area and is being held in the Guadalupe County Adult Detention Center. So far he’s been charged with stealing a car and aggravated fleeing from police.
