Veterans Rescue Woman in North Bay Memorial Day Cemetery Assault: Police

SEBASTOPOL, CA- Three war veterans came to the aid of a woman who was assaulted at a Sebastopol cemetery on Memorial Day morning, police said.

Police Officer Joseph Furry responded around 9:30 a.m. Monday to an assault by a woman on another woman at Sebastopol Memorial Lawn at 7951 Bodega Ave.

The victim was on the ground and being attended to by three members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3919 when he arrived, Furry said.

Witnesses and the 60-year-old victim said the suspect, later identified as Holly Mae Lewis, 36, of Santa Rosa, was angry because she could not find a relative's gravesite.

Lewis made racial comments regarding the victim's speech and started slapping, kicking and punching her, Furry said.

The veterans, ages 68 through 83, were preparing for a Memorial Day ceremony nearby and came to the victim's aid. One of the veterans tackled Lewis and another, a retired Sebastopol police lieutenant, struggled to stop Lewis from pulling the victim's hair, Furry said.

Lewis fled in a blue minivan but witnesses were able to provide a partial license plate. Sebastopol police dispatcher Tracy Peters used different combinations of the numbers and letters in the license plate and the last name on the gravesite of Lewis' relative to discover the van's license plate, Furry said.

Police identified Lewis as the suspect and contacted her at her Santa Rosa home. She was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm and committing a hate crime. Lewis posted $30,000 bail and was released from the Sonoma County Jail.

The victim was treated at the scene and didn't require transport to a hospital, Furry said.

– By Bay City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.