Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Transit Policing Division Detectives took 24 year old Geovanny Falcon into custody on Thanksgiving Day. Falcon, who had been identified using Metro bus video, was being sought by Sheriff’s Detectives after the unprovoked, vicious beating of a Metro bus operator on November 17th, 2014, in the West Hills area of Los Angeles.
Transit Detectives used the on board bus video and witness statements to identify Falcon and a female companion, who boarded the bus in the late evening at Valley Circle and Victory Boulevards. After boarding the bus, Falcon, for no apparent reason, put a head-lock on the 59 year old, female bus operator, and then began punching and kicking her. Lead LASD Transit Detective Keith Schumaker said that witness statements, including that of a family member of the female who was with Falcon, lead them to him, describing him as a transient who was drinking heavily at the time and may have other medical problems. The bus operator was transported to a local hospital due to the seriousness of her injuries, but was later released.
“We were pretty sure we knew who the suspect was at that point, we just didn’t know where to find him.” said Schumaker. A press conference was held on November 24th, asking for the public’s help in locating Falcon. Shortly thereafter, Falcon’s female companion contacted Schumaker and told him that Falcon would turn himself in. When he failed to do so, a witness called authorities on Thursday the 27th, when Falcon was once again spotted at the home of his female companion. There he was taken into custody without incident. Falcon was booked into the county jail, for 245(a)(4) PC, Assault Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury, and is being held on a combined bail of almost a quarter of a million dollars, due to other cases he also has pending.
“I truly believe that it was the public getting involved that led to this arrest.” Said Chief Ronene Anda, who is in charge of the Sheriff’s Transit Policing Division, responsible for security on Metro buses, trains, and properties. “We need to continue to have outcomes like this one where a person that would brutalize a defenseless Metro employee was taken off the streets. Our community based policing strategies will continue to bring our personnel closer to the transit community that we serve.”
If you have information regarding this case, you are asked to please contact the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, Transit Policing Division, Detective Keith Schumaker at: (323) 563-5000. If you wish to remain anonymous, call "LA Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters “TIPLA” plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org. You can also report crime via the TransitwatchLA app for your smartphone. Download the app from the Apple store, Google Play, or from the TransitwatchLA.org website.
For media inquiries please contact:
Ramon Montenegro, LET
Transit Policing Division – Unit Public Information Officer
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
(213) 922-3649
Email: [email protected]
24 Hr. : (888) 950-SAFE(7233)
Transit Watch LA website: http://www.transitwatchla.org/
LASD website: www.lasd.org
* The buses and trains of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (http://www.metro.net) and Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) or Metrolink (http://www.metrolinktrains.com/) are policed under contract with the Transit Policing Division of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
* "If You See Something, Say Something" LA Crime Stoppers: Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
