Good deed quickly takes a turn when 78-year-old attacked by woman she was trying to help

ROSEVILLE, Calif. - A 78-year-old woman was attacked by a woman in distress who she was trying to help in Roseville.

Mary Thompson was on her way back home Tuesday afternoon when she noticed a woman sitting off the side of the road.

“There was this lady sitting on the bench, flailing and screaming and crying,” Thompson told KTXL.

Thompson, who lives in the area, didn’t just drive by. Instead, she stopped to comfort the woman near the intersection of Sun City Boulevard and Dreamgarden Loop.

But a seemingly “good deed” quickly took a turn when Roseville police say the woman, identified as 34-year-old Shellie Macvane, forced herself inside Thompson’s car. She demanded Thompson take her to see a boyfriend.

“I was trying to wave somebody down to help me and since it’s such a friendly area, they all waved back,” Thompson explained.

Despite her attempts to signal for help, Thompson attempted to follow Macvane’s demands but she said Macvane started attacking her, hitting her several times on her arm.

“I grab her by the hair. She has this black, greasy mop and I grab her by the black hair ponytail,” Thompson said.

Then just feet from Thompson's home, she said Macvane got out of the car.

“This woman had gone across the street to two people who weren’t even involved in the situation and just shoved one of the ladies over one of her rocks that were in her front yard,” said witness Scott Beller.

That’s when Beller, who was working at a nearby home, pinned Macvane down until help arrived.

“Looking around there was nobody down there that would have had anywhere near the capabilities of restraining her,” Beller told KTXL.

Thompson credits Beller with saving her life.

“He lives on Angel Rock. We called him our guardian angel,” she said.

She said she’s grateful knowing the woman who was accused of attacking her is behind bars.

“She needs help. Everybody needs help, she just needs help right now, desperately,” Thompson said.

Macvane is currently being held on several charges, including elder abuse, attempted carjacking and theft. She's due in court Thursday afternoon.