Man threw large rock at TriMet security guard because he was asked to pay MAX fare
PORTLAND, Ore. October 5, 2023 According to Multnomah County court documents, a man arrested for assault Tuesday threw a “large rock” at a TriMet security supervisor after being asked to pay MAX fare, which then hit a random bystander in the head.
Deputies were called to the Expo Transit Center on Tuesday morning after reports of an assault.
In the court documents, officers say a man on surveillance footage, later identified as Uriel Rodriguez-Caro, 25, was seen throwing a large rock at a TriMet security officer and at a MAX train.
The security supervisor told deputies he was checking fares on the platform and approached Rodriguez-Caro for fare, who then became confrontational and told the supervisor to leave before throwing the rock at him.
Another passenger on the platform was struck in the head by the rock, and investigators saif the victim had “blood leaking from his head,” bruising, and a large laceration. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Rodriguez-Caro told the arresting deputy he threw the rocks because he did not have money to pay for his fare.
According to prosecutors, he has an active warrant from a 2019 case for a robbery and assault that also occurred on TriMet property. In that case, he was accused of punching and trying to steal a backpack from another passenger at the Hollywood MAX platform.
He reportedly told the arresting officers he didn’t remember the assault but that he “does crazy things while on meth.”
Rodriguez-Caro was arraigned Wednesday on 7 counts, including assault, on the current case and remains in Multnomah County Jail.
Prosecutors have requested a preventative detention hearing to keep him behind bars.
