'A ride from hell': Rochester woman carjacked, kidnapped and beaten over 10 cents

Allison Smith said she thought she was going to die after being carjacked, held hostage at gunpoint and beaten last month by people she didn't know.

"It was like a ride from hell."

Smith, 29, of Rochester, said two women and a man threatened her with weapons, forced her to drive them around the city and beat her — all after she had asked strangers for 10 cents in spare change.

"They got into the car, threatened me with weapons, told me to drive," she recalled.

It happened on Sept. 13 as Smith was cashing out at Four Guys on North Clinton Avenue. She said an unknown woman offered her $5 to cover her tab — and became visibly upset when Smith handed her $4.90 back.

"My car was parked across the street, and I knew I had probably a dollar bill to make it the full 5," Smith said. "I think they were probably trying to start something to make conflict. I said, 'No problem, I'm going to go across the street and grab it from my car, then I don't want any issues.'"

Smith said that's when the pair threatened her at gunpoint and forced her to drive to different locations throughout the city before they beat her.

"It was like once she told me she was taking me home, I knew I wasn't going to make it home."

The man and woman picked up another woman they called "Wifey" at the first stop, according to Smith. The suspects allegedly put a broken pipe in her mouth and bloodied her lips.

"That's when she begins beating me, and she tells the woman in the back to hold down my hair, my head," Smith said. "She's holding down my head as she's just repeatedly beating me and telling me I'm going to die tonight."

At this point, Smith said, she knew she had to do something if she wanted to live.

"Whoever's arm is on me, I bite down as hard as I could, and there was a small release," she said. "And then I ducked and just ran."

Smith said she collapsed after running to a nearby convenience store on Hudson Avenue, where someone called 911 for her.

Rochester Police Captain Greg Bello said Smith's stolen vehicle led police on a pursuit the next day before striking a curb. Bello said multiple people fled from the car on Lincoln Street.

Shawntae Hall, 20, is charged with assault, robbery, unlawful imprisonment and multiple counts of grand larceny.

Hall was arraigned in Rochester City Court and released. A warrant has been issued for her arrest after she failed to appear in court, according to police.

Anyone with information about the two additional suspects or the whereabouts of Hall is asked to call 911.