Newport, Tennessee

From the Cocke County Online of April 2, 2006

Alleged robber foiled by 67-year-old victim

The 67-year-old female victim of an alleged attempted robbery and assault on Friday turned the tables on her would-be assailant, according to the Cocke County Sheriff's Department (CCSD).

CCSD Sgt. Richard Caldwell told the Plain Talk on Saturday that Patsy Neal, 67, of Moore Ridge Road in the Bybee community, called E-911 a little after 10 p.m. on Friday to report that someone had attempted to assault her and steal money and her car.

"Ms. Neal told us that Karl Daniel Forss, 32, 2682 Moore Ridge Road, showed up at her door-supposedly to use the telephone-late Friday night, and she said she was not initially afraid because she sort of knew him, he lived in the area," said Caldwell.

But, according to Caldwell, the visit was not a friendly one. "Ms. Neal told us he [Forss] brandished a hammer and told her he wanted $500 to buy drugs, and she said he also demanded she give him the keys to her Pontiac GrandAm," said Caldwell.

Caldwell said Neal told him she then began backing up the stairs inside her home's foyer and, at the top of the stairs, seized the opportunity to shove her assailant down the stairs and lock the inner door.

"But, according to Ms. Neal, he [Forss] didn't leave the house right away," said Caldwell. "He apparently used the hammer to strike at the inner door, after which she [Neal] got a .22-caliber rifle and attempted to shoot through the door."

Caldwell said the rifle apparently jammed initially, but Neal was able to eventually fire through her home's window in an effort to scare Mr. Forss away," he said.