Woman Sentenced To 15 Years Behind Bars For Smashing 92-Year-Old Stranger With Brick

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA)  -- Authorities said a 30-year-old woman was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in state prison for severely injuring a then-91-year-old man with a brick in Willowbrook last summer.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Laquisha Jones of Los Angeles pleaded no contest on Dec. 27, 2018, to one count of elder abuse and infliction of injury.

Jones also admitted allegations of using a deadly and dangerous weapon, a brick, during the commission of the crime and that she inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim.

The defendant also admitted that she was convicted in 2017 of making criminal threats, said Deputy DA Frank Dunnick.

On the evening of July 4, without provocation, Jones attacked the elderly man, who is now 92, with a brick near 118th and Robin streets in Willowbrook. Jones fled the scene but was later identified by an image captured on cellphone video.

She was taken into custody six days later.

The victim -- Rudolfo Rodriguez -- was visiting Willowbrook from his native Mexico.

Following the reported assault, the victim, now 92, was taken to the hospital for medical treatment and Jones fled the scene, according to the prosecutor.

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At the time of her arrest, Jones said the victim -- who doesn't speak English -- bumped into Jones' little girl as he walked down the street.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Jones was initially charged with attempted murder but the charges were lessened when she accepted a plea deal.

A GoFundMe account set up for the victim that hoped to raise $15,000 to pay for some of his medical expenses raised nearly $330,000.

Rodriguez, who now lives in Willowbrook, spoke to KCAL9's Rachel Kim Thursday evening.

He told Kim that he was "good and happy thanks to God."

Rodriguez told Kim he understands the law but he thought his attacker should have only gotten two to three years for her crime.

Through an interpreter he said that "everyone makes mistakes, and we have to forgive each other because God forgives us."

His daughter disagreed and said she hopes the stiff sentence sends a message to anyone who would harm an elderly person.

Misbel Borjas, who shot the cellphone video that helped lead to Jones' capture, agreed with Rodriguez's daughter.

"I feel better [she has been sentenced] if you do something like that," she says, "you have a consequence."