A 27-year-old homeless man was charged Tuesday with attacking a trolley driver in Laguna Beach when he was told he was not welcome to take a ride on the bus.
Daniel William Delrosario was charged with single felony counts each of robbery, dissuading a witness by force and resisting arrest and single misdemeanor counts each of battery against a transportation worker and assault on a peace officer.
Police were called at 12:16 p.m. Saturday to Diver’s Cove following the attack on the driver, according to Laguna Beach Police Department Sgt. Jim Cota.
When Delrosario attempted to board the trolley he was refused because the driver said he was too intoxicated, Cota said. That upset the defendant who started hollering at the driver, Cota said.
Delrosario got on the trolley and punched the driver several times in his face and chest, Cota alleged. During the pummeling, the driver activated an emergency button to summon police help, Cota said.
A passenger on the trolley attempted to pull the defendant off the driver, which apparently upset another homeless man, Robert Paralta, who allegedly attacked the good Samaritan, Cota said. It was not clear if Paralta has been charged, but he was booked on suspicion of battery, Cota said.
Both homeless men got off the trolley and ran away, but were later arrested.
The driver was taken to Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach for treatment of pain, Cota said.
Delrosario pleaded not guilty on Tuesday at his arraignment in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana and was ordered to return to court Oct. 2 for a pretrial hearing in the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.
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