Disabled woman beaten with hammer, arrest made

EIGHT MILE, Ala. (WALA) - A disabled woman was brutally attacked in Eight Mile and was rescued by her son. Now, Prichard Police are investigating a case of assault and arson after the violent crime.

As Antonio Richardson looked at damage in the bathroom, he said it's a horrible reminder of what happened to his mother.

"She tried to burn the house down. You could see the plastic on the ground," he said.

Police said the fire was set as a diversion, and the suspect, Jackie Seller, was in the home looking for money.

Prichard Police Chief Jimmie Gardner said, "Seller went and retrieved a hammer and assaulted the victim."

Police believe Seller may have thought the victim was home alone. Fortunately, Antonio Richardson was in a room not far away.

Antonio heard his mother screaming for help. He busted into the bathroom and found his mother fighting for her life in the tub.

Richardson said, "She hit her in the head with a hammer. She hit her with the part you pull nails out with. Momma had fallen in the tub. She was in the tub with blood all over. The lady was standing over her, so I grabbed the lady."

Antonio said the attacker put up a fight.

"I tried to throw her out the door," he said. "She wouldn't go out the door. She went back in my mom’s room and tried to get her money and stuff, so I grabbed her again, and this time I got her out of the house."

"Probably had a different plan," said Chief Gardner. "Probably, if it had not been for the son being home, she could have been assaulted to the degree she was unconscious. The trailer is on fire. It doesn't take long for it to become fully engulfed, and we would have had a different situation all together."

The victim is expected to recover.

Jackie Seller is in Metro Jail charged with arson, assault and theft.