Cops: Woman stole car, ran over driver who tried to stop her

A woman was arrested on robbery and assault charges Saturday night, Suffolk police said, after she stole a car in a Lake Ronkonkoma church parking lot and ran over the owner who tried to stop her.

Doreen Dunbar, 50, who has no known address, got into the driver's seat of a 2013 Chevrolet Spark after Lorraine Lombardo, 73, of St. James, drove the vehicle into the parking lot of St. Mary’s Church on Lake Shore Drive about 6:45 p.m., parked near a clothing donation bin and got out with the motor running, police said.

Lombardo ran to the car, opened the driver’s door and grabbed the steering wheel, but Dunbar put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated, police said. Lombardo was knocked to the ground and the car ran over her legs. Dunbar continued accelerating and crashed the car into a guardrail and a fence before fleeing on foot, according to police.

Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct officers, Aviation Section officers and Canine Section officers responded to the scene. Dunbar was found shortly after and taken into custody.

Lombardo was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Dunbar was transported to the same hospital for evaluation.

Dunbar was charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault. She will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date, police said.

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.