Darby Borough Police: Homeless Man Who Broke Librarian's Back During Robbery Arrested
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DARBY BOROUGH, Pa. (CBS) -- A man accused of breaking a librarian's back during a robbery at a Darby Borough library has been arrested.
Terrell Carter, 40, who's homeless, is accused of robbing a donation jar at the Darby Free Library and attacking a 60-year-old librarian on July 12.
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"It makes everybody uncomfortable to come to a library and to think that could happen to them," said Susan Borders, the library's director.
Borders said she spoke to Carter moments before he allegedly stole the donation jar.
"He told me there was no bathroom supplies, so when I stepped to get them, he stepped back and the jug was back here. He grabbed it and ran down the steps," she said.
Walking up those steps was librarian Joyce Anderson Taylor. She fell and was rushed to the hospital where she spent two weeks.
"I had broken hips, broken pelvis, broken tailbone," said Joyce in a phone interview with CBS3. "It was shocking to everyone. Nothing happens at the library like that!"
Darby Borough Police Chief Robert Smythe said Carter was arrested on Broad Street and Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
"He is now in our custody. He has given a statement to my detectives for his involvement in this crime," said Smythe.
Police described Carter as a violent predator who preys on the elderly, targeting libraries, using their computers to fuel an online gambling addiction. Smythe says the woman is recovering following the attack.
"My understanding is she can't walk, she's in therapy. She also had some trouble with her eyes, but she's expected to make a recovery, but it's a long road," said Smythe.
Smythe added that police took this case personally.
"People that hurt seniors or children are just bad people and this guy is a bad person and he needed to be off the street before somebody got seriously injured," he said.
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Carter is being held on $500,000 bail at the Darby Borough Police station.
