HAYWARD — A Richmond man was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion of punching an AC Transit female bus driver in the face at the South Hayward BART station, authorities said Thursday.
Joseph Pulido, 30, was booked at Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of battery against a public transit employee. He was being held Thursday in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Sgt. Ray Kelly, of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, which has jurisdiction on AC Transit buses, said Pulido boarded the bus around 7 p.m. Wednesday and without provocation hit the driver in her face near her eye before fleeing.
He was arrested by BART police officers and turned over to sheriff’s deputies.
Kelly said the driver identified Pulido as the suspect and the attack was captured on the bus’ video surveillance system. The driver was treated at the scene for swelling and other injuries, authorities said.
Authorities are trying to determine a motive for the attack. Pulido is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
“There aren’t a considerable amount of attacks against drivers, but one is too many,” AC Transit media affairs manager Robert Lyles said Thursday afternoon. “No violence against our operators is acceptable.”
Lyles said the agency has a standing policy “that we pursue to the fullest extent of the law anyone who commits a criminal act against a rider, driver or employee. It’s also in the state penal code, there’s a specific designation for acts of violence against riders of public transit.”
Contact Harry Harris at 510-208-6443. Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.