Credit: Bristol Twp. Police
Two Philadelphia residents have been charged with robbing a 78-year-old woman outside of the Fairless Hills ShopeRite in Bristol Township.
According to court documents, 39-year-old Michael Galante, who was already in Bucks County prison following a June police chase that stretched from New Jersey to Bensalem, and Shakira Williams, 39, were each arraigned Tuesday on 12 felony counts of robbery, conspiracy, forgery, identity theft and related offenses. Galante was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Robert Wagner Jr. and his bail was set at 10 percent of $750,000, while Shakira was arraigned late Tuesday night before on-call District Judge Phillip Daly and sent to jail on 10 percent of $350,000.
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Detective Douglas Slemmer said Galante was arrested in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
The two are accused of following the 78-year-old woman out of the grocery store on Memorial Day. Galante pulled off the woman’s purse, got into a vehicle and accelerated to leave, striking the elderly woman with the vehicle, police said.
The 78-year-old was knocked to the ground and was taken to the hospital following the incident, according to court records. Police said she suffered a head injury and various wounds to her arms, hands and face.
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According to court papers, Galante and Williams drove to New Jersey where they used the woman’s credit cards to make unauthorized purchases.
Police release ShopRite survalliance video in early June that appears to show the two defendants leaving the store behind the elderly woman.
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The getaway car was reportedly stolen from Philadelphia.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
