A 20-year-old Doonside woman attributes her mixed martial arts (MMA) training to her and a friend surviving an attack on the N2 highway on Tuesday, 15 September.
Amy-Lee Matthews and her friend Samke Zama (27) were travelling to Westville for an interview when they stopped under the Hull Road bridge near Lamontville to check their directions.
“A man opened our back door, climbed in and demanded our car keys,” said Amy-Lee. Although Samke was frozen with fright, Amy’s self-defense training kicked in and she started struggling with the man, whom she described as short, between 39 and 42-years-old with a very dark complextion.
The man managed to pull her bag out of her grasp and fled, with Amy-Lee chasing after him. “I suddenly realised where I was. Fortunately a taxi violence unit saw what had happened and they sprung into action and surrounded the bush the man had run into. The police also arrived. I’ve never had the police respond so quickly.”
The girls were advised to open a police case and they proceeded to their interview.
“On our return, we stopped at the scene. My bag had been found with my passport and wallet still inside. Only minor things had been taken, all my valuables and sentimental items were still there,” said Amy-Lee.
“I just want to warn people to keep their doors locked. Our attention was on the interview on Tuesday, not on our safety and that was a mistake.”
Amy-Lee has used her MMA training to defend herself against a previous attacker when she was followed home from gym and advises all women to take up self-defense training.
