Elderly woman beaten in her home

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) - An elderly Kentwood woman was critically injured after a man robbed and beat her in her home Monday, according to police.

Somehow, she escaped the attack, got outside and yelled for help.

The suspect, 46-year-old Randall Lachniet, then fled the scene in victim Betty Oosterhouse's 1994 Buick Park Avenue, leading to a high-speed chase with officers. He crashed and flipped the car near the corner of Center Avenue and Sweet Street NE in Grand Rapids.

Lachniet was taken into custody by Grand Rapids police, treated for minor injuries at Saint Mary's and released to Kentwood police.

He is lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility on five felony charges.

Kentwood police responded to a call reporting home invasion and assault at around 11:06 a.m. Oosterhouse lives at 138 Farnham SE.

"The woman was just beaten, blood coming from her face, her eyes, her forehead (and) her teeth were knocked out," said neighbor Rick LaCava, who heard Oosterhouse's cries for help. "I didn't know what to do. I'm not a paramedic but I wanted to help her."

24 Hour News 8 was on scene as officers combed Oosterhouse's home, looking for clues and carrying evidence bags for to further the investigation.

"We came here (and) the victim was here; she had severe head injuries," said Sgt. Douglas Wegener of the Kentwood Police Department. "She was actually tied up downstairs. She was able to get loose, (she) came upstairs, she actually still had the upper part of her arms and had bleeding around her head. First aid was then administered."

Among Lachniet's charges: assault with intent to do great bodily harm, armed robbery, home invasion, unlawful imprisonment and unlawfully driving away an automobile. He faces other charges in regards to the police chase through Grand Rapids.

Police told 24 Hour News 8 that Oosterhouse, 80, let Lachniet into her home because she recognized him from doing some work on her house, and thought he was there to finish the job.

"(He is) possibly somebody that's done some work on the house in the past - the recent past," Wegener said.

Officers say he held a knife to her throat and demanded the PIN number to her bank account. When she refused, police say, Lachniet tied her up and beat her.

Oosterhouse was taken to Spectrum Butterworth with serious injuries, but her condition appears to be improving.

Lachniet was released from prison about three months ago and has prior convictions that include: breaking and entering, larceny, auto theft, assault, assault with a deadly weapon and forgery and couterfeiting.