Authorities are searching for a man who punched a school crossing guard outside a Pennsylvania elementary school, knocked her unconscious, and then ran away.
The incident happened on March 16 outside Walnut Street Elementary School in Darby.
Surveillance video outside shows a couple of school buses on the street that afternoon and a female crossing guard walking from the street onto the sidewalk.
Out of nowhere, a man in a black sweatsuit starts chasing her down the block, grabs her, then clocks her in the face. As the victim falls to the ground from the force of the punch, the culprit runs away.
According to Darby Borough Police Chief Joe Gabe, the victim told authorities that the attacker was driving a Nissan Altima. When he got out of his car, he “came at her in an aggressive manner, chased her down the street,” and then “grabbed her, and struck her in the face with his left fist.”
“It’s disgusting,” Chief Gabe told WPVI. “It’s terrible that a person would come up, just out of nowhere, just maybe frustrated with traffic or having to wait, and goes over and assaults this woman. A male goes over and assaults this woman in front of children, and has no problem doing it.”
Police believe the assailant may have been impatient after waiting in traffic and took his anger out on the crossing guard. The man was also heard swearing at the crossing guard before he attacked her.
“When he was approaching her, he was yelling more obscenities at her before he grabbed her and struck her in the face,” Gabe said.
The crossing guard suffered swelling to her face. She said when she came to, she walked home and called 911. She did not report to work the day after the attack.
“We just spoke to her, she’s feeling OK, but she’s very shaken up over what happened yesterday and is worried to go back to her position as a crossing guard,” Gabe added.
A school district employee said that the victim not only works for the district, but her children also attend the school where the attack happened.
“I see her every day. She’s a part of this family, this school district. She crosses these children every day. She’s always on time. She’s always helpful,” Dionne Galloway said. “I just hope she recovers and is safe. Her children go to this school, so can you imagine? They shouldn’t have to witness anything like that.”
Police are now working to track down the man’s Nissan Altima and are hoping for a speedy arrest.
