Fayette County, Pennsylvania

From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review of September 26, 2006

Woman fights off 2 masked robbers

Dan Brown said he's not too surprised his 110-pound wife, Sheri, held her own Friday when two masked men attempted to rob the family's Fayette County auto repair shop.

The couple, both in their 30s and married 17 years, opened DSB Auto Service four years ago on Three Mile Hill, Bullskin Township, not far from Mt. Pleasant.

They had no trouble with crime until Friday.

Shortly after Dan Brown left the family business at 10 a.m., his wife was confronted by two masked thieves who pulled up to the garage and demanded money.

State police at Uniontown said the victim "chased off the actors" after a brief struggle.

"There was a big guy and a small guy. She was alone when they came up to her and told her to give them all the money. She grabbed a pole we use to prop up a car hood and smacked the big one. He then hit her in the head, but she was able to get away," Brown said. "She started throwing chairs and stuff in front of her to keep them away from her while she tried to get to the office.

"She got there and pulled out the gun we keep in the drawer for protection."

As soon as the mother of two pulled out the family's .357-caliber Magnum, the thieves fled, Dan Brown said. The suspects did not display a weapon, he said.

He said he and his wife are comfortable around guns and are accomplished marksmen.

"If she would have had to shoot, she would have nailed them," he said.

Brown said the gun was kept on the premises because the business is in a remote, rural location.

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