ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A woman pumping gas is now fighting to live after witnesses said she was thrown from the hood of a car during a reported robbery.

The St. Louis County Police Department received a call just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to the QuikTrip on Union Road near Reavis Barracks.

Marty Carney, who works across the street, just got off work when his normal drive home changed.

“Just got done pumping gas, heard a lady scream ‘No,’ a very horrific sounding no,” he said. “Seen her jump on the hood of the Dodge Charger.”

Police confirmed the woman’s purse was taken.

Carney said the victim gave chase.

“Whenever they turned to go around the pumps, that’s when she came off the hood of the car,” he said.

Carney said the suspect’s car sped away from the gas station and drove into oncoming traffic before taking a left on Reavis Barracks, headed toward Interstate 55.

Angela Carosello lives nearby and stopped at the gas station minutes after it happened.

“It was just really scary,” Carosello said. “You can’t even get gas anymore and walk around the side of your car—potentially. It’s right next to the highway, and so it’s an easy getaway for crime.”

Carney said he stayed at the woman’s side until paramedics arrived, questioning who could be so brazen in the middle of the day.

“I was pretty much in a panic,” he said. “I just stayed with her, kind of my hand on her arm, waiting for the paramedics to get there.”

The woman was taken to the hospital for life-saving treatment.

No arrests have been made, and no suspect descriptions have been released.

Police said officers have been called to that gas station 14 times since January regarding car thefts, which is double compared to this time last year.