Man accused of unprovoked assault on transit supervisor

A man was arrested after allegedly punching an Intercity Transit supervisor in the face unprovoked.

Olympia police arrested a man who is in his mid 20’s on January 11 after a reported assault at Intercity Transit on State Avenue NE.

The supervisor told police that he was working at the main platform when a man, approached him. He recalled greeting the suspect with a “Good morning,” when the suspect punched him in the left cheek and immediately fled.

The strike caused pain and some swelling, but the supervisor said he did not need medical attention. The man also said the attack was unprovoked, noting that he had never had contact with the man who punched him before that day.

Police later located the suspect in the 600 block of Fifth Avenue SW. The suspect confirmed to an officer that he had been at the bus station earlier in the day and that there had been a confrontation.

The suspect said he struck the Intercity Transit staff because “someone told him to punch someone otherwise his family would get hurt,” according to the police report.

The suspect said he did not know the person he punched. He said he wanted to apologize to the individual he assaulted.

The suspect has been banned from the property for the next 12 months, police said. He was booked into the Thurston County Jail for third-degree assault.