Redmond PD seek man who punched CET bus driver
Redmond police have asked the public to help them find a man who boarded a Cascades East Transit bus on Friday without correct change, got into an argument with the driver and punched the electronic ticket reader — then punched the driver in the face.
Officers said in a Facebook post that the white male adult got on a CET bus at Redmond’s new transit hub on Southwest Kalama Avenue, wanting to go to Bend, but did not have correct change for a ticket. (The time of his attempted boarding was not given.)
“The suspect began arguing with the CET driver, who asked him to get off the bus to allow other passengers to board,” the post said.
The man then punched the electronic ticket reader, prompting the driver to get out of his seat and again ask him to leave the bus, police said.
“The suspect then punched the driver in the face before running from the bus stop toward Fred Meyer,” officers said.
Police released two stills from the security video on the bus that showed him wearing a gray or blue baseball cap.
Anyone who knows who the man might be is asked to contact police through Deschutes County dispatch at 541-693-6911, or send Redmond police a private message on Facebook, referencing RPD case no. 2018-00262871. The information can be anonymous.
Police also said the man could face charges of attempted assault and/or harassment. They explained that state law requires that a victim sustain physical injury for an assault charge to be filed.
