Man arrested for Assaulting female at DTC MBTA

Steven Colla

On September 16, 2013 at approximately 3 p.m. Transit Police officers from Area 1 received a radio call to respond to MBTA Downtown Crossing (Red Line) for a report of a female who was the victim of an assault & battery. Upon arrival officers met with the victim who informed them she was violently attacked by a white male simply because she wanted to sit down in a location that was in close proximity to her attacker and asked if he could move over slightly. The victim, who is African American, further reported her attacker used a racial epithet as he assaulted her.

Subsequent to an investigation Transit Police detectives arrested Steven Colla, 51 of Boston earlier today at Downtown Crossing MBTA station. Colla was transported to Transit Police HQ for the arrest booking process and is expected to be arraigned sometime tomorrow in Boston Municipal Court-Central Division for Assault &Battery w/Dangerous Weapon. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office will review the case for possible civil rights violations.

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The events listed above are allegations; All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.