Man arrested for unprovoked attack on Chino bus driver
A 23-year-old man was arrested early Wednesday after he allegedly assaulted a bus driver in Chino in what police called an unprovoked attack.
Exact specifics on the time or location of the alleged assault were not provided, but police shared video of the incident on their social media channels. The footage shows a man in a blue polo shirt sifting in his pockets while talking to the driver. Moments later, he appears to throw a handful of change toward the driver before punching several times, then running from the bus.
"He asked for a free ride. She says no, the fare is $2," said Chino Police Department Sergeant Shauna Hill. "That's what set him off."
Police were able to locate the suspect, who has since been identified as 23-year-old Pomona man Robert Kirkwood, thanks to the department's Real-Time Crime Center and city camera system, as well as a department helicopter.
"They all just work seamlessly together when it matters," Hill said of the department's response to the incident. "To hear that call come out and for us to get him so quickly, it was a great feeling to know that the victim was gonna get some justice."
"Within minutes, Air5 directed responding officers to his location," police said. "When the suspect fled on foot, Air5 maintained visual contact from above, allowing officers to quickly locate and safely take him into custody after a brief foot pursuit."
Hill said that once they received the call from dispatch for the assault, they put all hands on deck.
"An innocent lady that's just trying to make money and pay bills, like all of us, and she goes to work and gets assaulted," Hill said.
Kirkwood was booked on felony assault charges, according to Chino PD. Officers said that they also found drug paraphernalia on him when he was arrested.
The bus driver, who hasn't been identified, suffered some minor injuries to her face, but aside from being scared, Hill said she was largely unharmed in the incident.
"Thankfully it wasn't worse," she said.
