BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — An Austell woman is being charged after police said she carjacked a vehicle with a child inside.
Morgan Nicole Vila, 28, is facing a host of charges connected to the alleged incident, including kidnapping, cruelty to children, and hit-and-run.
Brookhaven police said it all started around 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 2 when a mom, with her three-year-old daughter in the car seat in the back, stopped at a red light at the intersection of Buford Highway and North Druid Hills Road, just off of I-85.
The victim and other witnesses said that Vila stepped into traffic and began pulling on the door handles of cars stopped at the light. Sandra Peralta told 11Alive News that Vila suddenly came up to her car.
"She opened the back door," Peralta said, "and was just harassing my baby, putting her hands on her."
Peralta said she jumped out of her car and began trying to pull Vila away from the child, but as she did, Vila was able to jump into the driver's seat.
"I was trying to push her, grab her, and she just had so much strength in her," Peralta said. "I got on top of her and I started fighting this woman, punching her, punching her face."
But Peralta said Vila was able to put the car in drive, and then floor the gas pedal, rear-ending the car in front of her-- Cameron Traylor's car.
Traylor had already jumped out of his car, to try to help Peralta.
"The mother was fighting and giving everything she could" to save her child, Traylor said, describing how, in those few seconds, he also tried to pull the carjacker out of the car.
"You could just see the fear in her daughter's eyes, and the mother was screaming," he said.
"I lost my grip of her (the carjacker's) leg, and she just took off and smashed the back of my car," and then shifted into reverse and slammed into the cars behind her.
"The mother tried to go for the backseat to get her daughter out of the car," Traylor said, but could not hold on.
"She was run over, and kind of drug" across the pavement as the carjacker was again driving forward to get away.
"I just remember falling off the car," Peralta said, "trying to grab onto something from the car. She still had my baby in the car... I just wanted my baby to be safe, I was scared for her life."
The carjacker drove over a concrete median and sped down Buford Highway.
But she didn't get far. A front tire had dislodged, and she was driving on a rim. And police said a United States Homeland Security Investigations undercover agent, who was also stopped at the light, chased Vila.
Police said that because of the damage that Vila caused to Peralta's car, Vila lost control and came to a stop at the intersection of Buford Highway and Bramblewood Drive, less than a mile from the intersection of Buford and N. Druid Hills. Police said Vila tried to run away, but the Homeland Security agent tackled her.
Peralta had somehow picked herself from the pavement, and "I was running after her and just asking for help."
Two other witnesses told Peralta she could get into their car, and she did, and they chased Vila, arriving at Peralta's car moments after the Homeland Security agent had captured Vila.
"And I just grabbed my baby, she was very scared, and she was crying."
Brookhaven Police Lieutenant David Snively praised the witnesses who intervened.
"There were a lot of witnesses who actually did something. On the one hand, we say we want people to be safe and not put themselves into dangerous situations," he said. "On the other hand, we say these are people who recognized a true emergency and jumped in to help. And we can't do anything but commend that."
"That's all I can think about, being grateful and blessed for being here with her" now, Peralta said. "I'm very thankful for the people that were there for me, while this all happened, I would always be thankful for them. You know, a community looking out for each other--and we should always do that."
Vila is charged with felony counts of hijacking a motor vehicle, kidnapping, aggravated assault, second-degree cruelty to children, and obstruction of a police officer with violence. She is also accused of misdemeanor hit-and-run.
The Brookhaven Police Department said it wanted specifically to extend "our appreciation and thanks" to the Homeland Security agent, "whose quick actions resulted in the immediate apprehension of the offender."
While Peralta's daughter is okay, Peralta is still recovering at home from her injuries and is not able to return, yet, to her work at a restaurant where she is a server. She said she has no medical insurance, and her car is totaled. There is an online fundraiser to help her and her daughter.