A man seen on video brutally attacking a woman then throwing her onto the train tracks of a Metro platform in Pasadena was arrested, according to police.
The disturbing attack happened the morning of Aug. 7 when a man at the Allen Metro station in Pasadena assaulted a woman. Video captured the man throwing her onto the train tracks and then pushing her across the barrier from the Metro tracks onto the 210 freeway. He then pulled her into oncoming traffic with speeding drivers narrowly missing her.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the attack was unprovoked. According to the department, the woman did not know the assailant, who was identified as 33-year-old Juan Pablo Flores.
Flores is now facing charges that include attempted murder and mayhem. He is being held without bail.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The woman, whose name was not released, was taken to a nearby hospital for her injuries. She suffered a broken nose, head bruising, swelling and cuts throughout her body. She is continuing to recover from the assault and has had difficulty walking, according to LASD.
“Metro wishes the woman a speedy and full recovery,” the agency said in a statement.
LA County Supervisor and Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, Janice Hahn, issued the following statement after the violence:
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
“The details of the attack against a woman early this morning at the Allen Station in Pasadena are disturbing and I am grateful that the victim is recovering and that the suspect is in custody,” her statement read. “Our board will need a full investigation into this incident, an accounting of where both Metro’s contracted law enforcement and transit security were when this woman was attacked, and a plan to increase security during early morning commuting hours.”
The chilling assault comes months after Metro board members voted to create a police force dedicated to the agency in an effort to make ridership safer. Despite the move, the attack has left riders feeling unsettled.
“It’s devastating and it’s really scary,” said Ducien Allen, a Metro rider.
“So is anybody not monitoring the cameras? Where is the office? Where is like all this? A lot of questions that need to be answered,” she said.
“To actually see that happen, it’s actually way more stressful now,” said Jeremy Gonzalez, another Metro passenger.