FLORENCE — A local man and woman accused of stealing a woman’s purse and dragging her with a vehicle in a parking lot last year are facing assault charges.

Tanisha Chantae Moore, 19, 225 S. O’Neal St., Florence, and Xavier Cole, 24, 323 S. O’Neal St., Florence, were indicted on charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and breaking and entering a motor vehicle.

The indictments were issued by the February session of the Lauderdale County grand jury.

They are accused of taking a purse belonging to a 46-year-old Florence woman and then dragging her with their car through the Wal-Mart parking lot. The theft was reported about 8:30 p.m. Dec. 14.

The woman told authorities a man wearing a yellow shirt grabbed her purse while she was trying to put it in the trunk of her car.

Florence police detective Justin Wright said the woman ran after the man and was dragged several feet by his car. Moore is accused of driving the car.

The woman was treated for minor injuries at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital.

Wright said Wal-Mart surveillance video from the parking lot and tips from Shoals CrimeStoppers led to Cole and Moore as suspects.

Wright said it was evident on the store’s surveillance video that the suspects had been circling the parking lot looking for victims. He said Moore stopped the car and Cole got out just before the incident occurred.

The victim told police the man reached into the trunk of her car and grabbed her purse.

“The woman went after him, and Moore drove the car back through the parking lot to pick up Cole, and (the woman) was knocked down by the car.

“After she was knocked down, she (got) up and continued to try and stop him.” Wright said the woman ran to the passenger side of the car and struggled over the purse.

“(The suspect) was able to close the door and the woman was dragged by the car 60 to 75 feet down the parking lot before she fell free,” Wright said.

The Lauderdale County District Attorney’s Office said the cases could be placed on the circuit court docket for later this year.

Moore is out of jail on bail of $102,500, while Cole remains in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bond of $52,500.

Tom Smith can be reached at 256-740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.