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Woman beaten, robbed of phone in S. Philly while photographing apparent drag-race crash

A man and woman, both in their early 20s, punched the victim while telling her to stop taking pictures.

Philadelphia police at a crime scene.
Philadelphia police at a crime scene.Read moreJESSICA GRIFFIN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / File photo

A woman was punched and robbed of her cell phone early Saturday morning in South Philadelphia while using the phone to take pictures of an apparent drag racer who had crashed into her car.

The 24-year-old woman was driving on Pattison Avenue near Third Street at about 12:15 a.m. when the driver of another vehicle flashed its lights for her to get out of the way, police said in an emailed statement.

After the woman pulled over and got out to see what was going on, her car “was struck by a vehicle possibly involved in drag racing,” police said.

The woman started taking pictures as the driver of the other vehicle attempted to leave the scene. Then she was approached by a man and woman, both in their early 20s, who punched her and took her phone while telling her to stop taking pictures.

“They then ripped her license plate from her vehicle and fled in an unknown direction,” police said.

Police Sgt. Eric Gripp said no other details of the incident were immediately available.