LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – A L.A. Dash bus driver fell victim to an assault by a homeless woman in South Los Angeles, just two days following a sick-out by numerous Metro transit operators due to ongoing safety concerns.
Law enforcement officers from the Los Angeles Police Department quickly responded to reports of the incident, which occurred near South-Central Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard just before 1 p.m.
According to initial reports from OnScene, the homeless woman attacked the driver after refusing to pay for the bus ride.
Video footage captured by KTLA depicted a violent struggle between the female bus operator and the homeless woman, resulting in the driver being pulled off the bus and onto the sidewalk, despite being shielded by a plexiglass barrier.
The driver fought back as the homeless woman persisted with the violent attack, eventually managing to get back into her vehicle and driving away, leaving the assailant behind.
Recent safety concerns within the public transport system led to a sick-out by L.A. County Metropolitan Transit Authority operators on May 3. This action came in the wake of various violent incidents involving bus and train operators and passengers, including a fatal stabbing of a Metro train passenger on April 22 in Studio City.
Other incidents included a stabbing of a bus driver in Willowbrook and a hijacking of a Metro bus by a transient armed with an airsoft gun, which ended in a crash into the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Los Angeles.
In light of these events, a Metro board member expressed reluctance to ride the bus alone due to personal safety concerns.
Dash buses, operated by the L.A. Department of Transportation, serve various neighborhoods across the city and offer affordable fares for riders.
Details regarding the extent of the driver’s injuries from Sunday’s attack and any subsequent medical evaluation remain unclear. However, the female suspect was taken into custody by the authorities, with pending charges yet to be disclosed.