Oct. 12--A Grayslake woman was arrested Saturday on felony charges that she assaulted a Metra conductor by grabbing the conductor's hair and throwing her off the train and onto the platform.
Irene J. Ruiz, 30, of Grayslake, was charged Sunday in Cook County court with aggravated battery to a transit employee. She was ordered held on $25,000 bail by Judge James Brown.
According to police reports, on Sept. 12 Ruiz boarded a Chicago-bound Metra train at the Grayslake station and got into an argument with a female conductor over an additional 50 cents owed on the fare.
As the train approached the Healy station on Fullerton Avenue, the conductor stood in the vestibule waiting to open the doors. Ruiz told the conductor to get her hair out of Ruiz's face and swore at her, according to reports
When the train stopped at the Healy station, Ruiz got off the train, grabbed the conductor's hair and threw her on the platform before kicking her in the head, according to police reports. Police responded to the conductor's call at the hospital where she was being treated for injuries.
Ruiz was arrested after the conductor saw Ruiz boarding a Metra train in Grayslake on Saturday and called for help. Ruiz told responders that she did have an argument over the fare with the conductor in September but was acting in self defense after the conductor pushed and struck her.
Ruiz was arrested by Metra Police Department.
