Sterling Heights man gets 9 years for violently carjacking 88-year-old woman

(FOX 2) - A Sterling Heights man was sentenced Friday to at least nine years in prison for knocking an elderly woman to the ground before stealing her purse and her car.

Jason Malinas, 39, was sentenced for targeting 88-year-old Gloria Kevelighan in the parking lot of a Livonia Walmart, grabbing her purse and throwing her to the ground, then taking off with her car.

88-year-old carjacking victim says she'd like to 'kill that s.o.b.'

"This has completely changed her life for the worse. Her sense of security has been completely torn, she has a hard time going outside. She's seeking counseling but this effects her every single day," said Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Danielle Strace.

She spoke on behalf of Kevelighan, who was not in court for Friday's sentencing. The senior's bruises may have healed on the outside, but the troll that this September carjacking took on her remains.

It was another bad decision dictated by addiction.

"He has a bad drug problem, a terrible drug problem. And that's not an excuse for what happened, but he has cooperated totally with police. He gave a statement that was extrememly apologetic about what had happened," said defense attorney Matthew Evans.

Malinas left most of the talking to his attorney but through short comments and a few head shakes, admitted  that he has been a drug user since he was just 13 years old, and that this is the longest the career criminal he has ever been clean.

"I hope and trust that with this sentence and the time that you will be serving in prison, that you will use it to continue on that road to sobriety," said Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Talon.