HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General announced that a woman accused of assaulting a man on a SEPTA bus earlier this month will be prosecuted by the state’s mass transit prosecutor, a role created to address crimes occurring on public transportation.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said 22-year-old Paulina Reyes was charged by SEPTA Transit Police, in consultation with the mass transit prosecutor’s office, with misdemeanor simple assault and possession of an instrument of crime, along with summary counts of harassment and disorderly conduct.
The charges stem from an incident on the afternoon of January 19, when the bus was traveling in the 2300 block of Carpenter Street. According to authorities, Reyes allegedly punched and pepper-sprayed a male victim multiple times during a confrontation. Police said the two individuals were acquaintances and that the dispute allegedly centered on the victim’s online postings involving political content and views.
Investigators said the incident was captured on bus surveillance footage and was also recorded by someone accompanying the victim.
Sunday said the case highlights the consequences of allowing political disagreements to escalate into physical confrontations, noting that such incidents can result in serious criminal charges.
Reyes was arraigned Thursday morning and released on her own recognizance, meaning no bail was required as a condition of her release.
The mass transit prosecutor position was established under Act 40, legislation passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the governor in December 2023. The Office of Attorney General said the position was designed to strengthen enforcement and accountability for crimes committed within Pennsylvania’s public transit systems.
All charges are allegations. Reyes is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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