‘I was scared’: Man attacked by ex-girlfriend at North Philly car wash speaks up

A man who was attacked by his ex-girlfriend on Wednesday at a North Philadelphia car wash is speaking up about the violent encounter, which was captured on surveillance video.

The video, obtained exclusively by NBC10 on April 8, shows 42-year-old Moctar Elias being run over by a woman who he identified as his 27-year-old ex-girlfriend at the car wash on Broad Street. The car then crashed and caught fire, and the woman ran away.

Watch the full interview above.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

A day after the incident, Elias, who works at the car wash, said he is still surprised by the whole incident.

“I was scared, I was really scared. I was surprised, thank God I’m still alive,” Elias said.

An argument between two people was caught on camera as a woman ran over a man with her car at a car wash on Wednesday.

Elias said he had never had a fight or confrontation like this before.

“Never, never happened, never happened,” he said.

Elias went back to the scene on Thursday, April 9, to talk to co-workers and gather belongings.

According to Elias, he and his ex-girlfriend were together for about five years.

Surveillance also shows the couple talking, arguing and wrestling to the ground after she slapped coffee out of his hands.

Things escalated when she got back into her Volkswagen Jetta and tried swinging a hammer at his car. She then dropped it and Elias grabbed it.

“I didn’t expect to see the hammer. When the hammer fell, I grabbed the hammer,” Elias said.

The confrontation ended with the woman backing up and then driving right at Elias. 

“You know we was going through something, we broke up. I don’t know maybe she was going through something,” Elias said.

Elias said his ex-wife also showed up on Thursday at the car wash, concerned about his well-being.

“I wish it never happened like that. She deserves to be in jail. She should never see the light again. To try and take somebody’s life that,” Nieema Elias said.

But Moctar Elias said he has forgiveness in his heart.

“I don’t want to see her go to jail to be honest,” Elias said.

However, he said he doesn’t know if he’ll ever come back to work.”

“I be scared to work,” he said.

Investigators told NBC10 no arrests have been made.

If you have any information or know where the suspect is, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department.