A Palmdale woman was arrested Saturday on suspicion of a handful of criminal charges, including felony vandalism, after refusing to fix her COVID-19 mask after being asked to by the bus driver.
The arrest came after deputies were called to an area near the intersection of Orchard Village Road and McBean Parkway on Saturday afternoon, according to Deputy Natalie Arriaga, a spokeswoman for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
“It was reported a female adult made verbal threats to a bus driver,” said Arriaga. “Upon arrival, deputies learned the suspect entered the bus and became upset when told to properly secure her face mask.”
Arriaga said the woman then reportedly assaulted the bus driver with a shoe and made verbal threats.
“The suspect exited the bus a short period later and attempted to vandalize the bus by pulling on a windshield wiper,” said Arriaga. “During a search of the vicinity, a female matching the suspect description was detained on the 23800 block of Via Jacara in Valencia.”
The woman was identified as the suspect from the incident during a field identification investigation.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism, criminal threats and misdemeanor battery. She was booked at the SCV Sheriff’s Station and held in lieu of $70,000 bail.
