Alabama Man Punches Grandmother Repeatedly, Pours Rubbing Alcohol Down Throat, in Burglary Attempt


An Alabama man was arrested on March 5 for holding his 93-year-old grandmother down, punching her repeatedly in the face, and pouring rubbing alcohol down her throat.

According to reports, the elderly woman, whose name has not been released, was walking out of her bathroom at 6:30 a.m., when she saw a masked man standing in her hallway. She asked him what he wanted, and he immediately demanded money. When she told him she had none, he began attacking her.

The assailant grabbed her by the neck, and slung her to the floor, where he then began to punch her in the face over and over again, as he continued to demand money. When that didn’t work, he took rubbing alcohol, and began forcing the 93-year-old victim to drink it, pouring it down her throat. Sources say that the assailant made off with $200 in hand.

The victim eventually made it to an emergency room, where the Jefferson County police were called.

The masked criminal was soon identified as the victim’s grandson, 21-year-old Richard Alexander Coleman, who frequently lived with the victim.

While alcohol may be the number one drug problem in the United States, and, as the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports, is a factor in 40% of all violent crimes today, it has not been reported if Coleman was sober at the time of the assault and robbery. According to his cousin, Forris Colston, “They didn’t have any kind of falling out that I’m aware of,” which would have given him reason to hurt her.

When police arrested Coleman, they charged him with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary. He is currently awaiting trial for these charges.

“The people that see this story, it will shock their conscience,” said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. “I’m sure everyone that sees this story will be shocked that someone could be sorry and low enough to do something like that to a 93-year-old woman. No doubt there is a special place reserved for people capable of that. In fact I’m counting on it.”