A Metro bus passenger who spit on and hit a driver was sought by police after the attack late Monday in Los Angeles' Historic South-Central area.
Officers responded at about 10 p.m. Monday to Martin Luther King Jr. and Avalon boulevards. A woman, who is believed to be homeless, struck the bus driver and spit on him before leaving the scene, police said.
The assault is one of several recent crimes on the Metro transit system, including other attacks on bus drivers.
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"Bus operators are critical frontline employees, whose primary responsibility is getting nearly a million passengers to their destinations safely each day," Metro spokesman Jose Uvaldo said in a statement. "Passenger behavior that results in assault or impedes the safety of the operator is unacceptable.
The driver was treated for injuries at the scene. Police said the driver asked the woman to get off the bus, then activated an electronic sign on the exterior of the bus that displayed the words "Emergency Call 911" when she attacked.
It was not immediately clear why the woman was asked to leave the bus. A detailed description of the attacker was not immediately available.
Anyone with information about this crime was asked to call the Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
