‘She’s a fighter’: Wisconsin woman survives attack by stranger
By Kendall Keys
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BURLINGTON, Wisconsin (WISN) — The city of Burlington Police Department said around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday dispatchers received a call about a woman yelling for help.
“I can’t be grateful enough for the person who actually called the police to get them to come out there,” Samantha Scott, the victim’s daughter, said.
Cries for help disrupted the normally quiet block of Madison Street. Investigators said Scott’s mother was attacked in her driveway.
“I received a phone call from my sister, and, you know, you hear it once and you stop. You know, your heart kind of stops and you say, I could not have heard that right,” Scott said.
According to a criminal complaint, responding officers found Richard Sallmann of Delavan assaulting a woman outside of her car. The complaint went on to say Sallmann accused the victim of being a witch and threatened to kill her multiple times. Police said he wrapped a jacket around her head and beat her.
Investigators said the victim does not know Sallman. They did not say what prompted the attack.
“She’s a fighter. She’s always going to stand her ground as much as she can to defend herself,” Scott said.
Scott told WISN 12 News reporter Kendall Keys her mother fought for her life until police arrived. She was seriously injured.
She is healing now, both physically and emotionally, but with the community behind her.
“It’s been just an outpouring of love. ” Scott said. “People who don’t know my mom, they don’t know who she is as a person, but they want to help her. For me, knowing my mom and growing up with her, she’s a big inspiration to me because of her resilience, her strength, and the fight that she has in her.”
Scott set up a GoFundMe for her mother’s healing process.
Sallmann was taken into custody at the Racine County Jail, charged with attempted homicide, sexual assault, strangulation, battery, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
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