SAN DIEGO - A reward of up to $1,000 was being offered Friday for information leading to the arrest of a man who assaulted a Coaster train operator during a trip from Oceanside to San Diego last week.
Passengers saw the suspect "acting strangely" on the southbound passenger train on the morning of April 6, one to hit the emergency button to alert the conductor, according to the sheriff's department and Crime Stoppers.
The conductor was attacked while attempting to kick the man off the train at the Old Town station.
"The man initially appeared to cooperate with the conductor's request, but as the conductor turned away from him, the man punched the conductor once in the face causing his glasses to fall off and his nose to bleed," according to a Crime Stoppers statement.
The suspect then ran off the train, leaving the conductor behind with a mild concussion and numerous lacerations, authorities said.
Authorities described the assailant as white, 30 to 35, about 6 feet tall and around 170 pounds with dark hair and a light beard. He was wearing sunglasses, a black tank top, tan pants and a blue backpack around his waist.
Anyone with information on the incident was asked to call the sheriff's department at (858) 565-5200. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or contacting the agency online at sdcrimestoppers.org.
