The 69-year-old credits a police officer with saving her life after she was violently attacked on a overpass in Texas.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — Patty Anderson said she’s healing after a violent attack on a Montgomery County overpass Sunday in Texas left the 69-year-old with fractures in her nose and a concussion.
Authorities said Christina Michelle Hiller, 40, was arrested and charged in connection with the assault.
Anderson said she was doing a solo banner drop protest along Loop 336 at the overpass over I-45 when Hiller approached her — unprovoked. She said the confrontation turned physical fast, and Hiller knocked her to the ground between concrete barriers.
“It’s amazing. I’ve never been hit in the face like that. I’ve never hit anybody in the face like that. It was an experience, and then she just kept on pummeling, pummeling, pummeling, and then I fell down,” Anderson said. “I could open my eyes and see blood dripping.”
Anderson said the passing traffic was loud, and she feared that no one could hear what was happening. She said she thinks she would have been beaten to death if a Conroe police officer had not been nearby.
Anderson said Hiller seemed interested in her light-up Bluetooth speaker before moving into her personal space. She said she had never been hit in the face like that and described the attack as relentless.
Dickinson police described Hiller as homeless and known to have mental issues, but they did not know what sparked the attack.
Anderson doesn’t believe the assault was politically motivated.
“I don’t think she had her facilities altogether,” Anderson said.
Hiller is now in jail and faces a charge of injury to the elderly with serious bodily harm.
Anderson said she’s in the process of healing and feels OK, even though her face tells a different story.
“I have to heal. I’m in the process of healing. And I feel pretty normal inside,” Anderson said.
She said she’s grateful for the officer who intervened and pulled Hiller away. Anderson said she didn’t get to thank him at the time, but believes he saved her life.
“The one officer that jumped that barrier … I want to give him a hug,” Anderson said.
Despite the nose fractures and concussion, Anderson was grateful she didn’t have any injuries to her skull.