Woman on life support after colleagues say she tried to stop customer from stealing tires
By Luana Munoz, Luis Xavier De Peña
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LAKE COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A Lake County woman is on life support after her colleagues say she tried to stop a customer from stealing tires at Just Stop Tires in Mascotte on Monday.
The owner of Just Stop Tires, Roy Cruz, called Ashley Tyer the heart of the company.
“She had so much love, but she was so tough,” said James Kelly, Tyer’s co-worker and friend. “She was, like, a tomboy and a pretty girl all at the same time.”
Tyer has worked for the shop for seven years. Her colleagues say she was more like family than an employee.
Kelly said he had just finished putting used tires on a customer’s vehicle, a job that amounted to just $95. However, Kelly said the customer did not want to pay.
“That split second I turned around and walked in the office, he was already letting the jack down,” Kelly said.
Kelly said the man got into his car and peeled out of the business and onto the road when his car stalled.
“I was thinking, grab the tag because he isn’t going to go far. We have the tag. We have the car. We have his name. We have everything,” Kelly said. “Ashley stood in front of him so he wouldn’t go, and he didn’t care. He just scooped her up.”
Kelly said Tyer was clinging to the hood of the car as the man sped off. He drove for half a block before turning a corner.
Tyer went flying off the vehicle and that is when Kelly realized how badly she was injured.
“It’s a lot to take. She wouldn’t want us to sit here and cry about it. She would actually call me a couple of names if she were here right now,” Kelly said. “Like, ‘Suck it up.’”
Kelly said Tyer had been working on turning an old, large tire outside of the business into a flower bed. Now, he is finishing what she started as a way of honoring a dear friend.
Mascotte police have not made an arrest in the case yet, but they tell WESH 2 they are working with other agencies to ensure the person responsible is brought to justice.
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