Light Rail Stabbing: Passengers Tried To Stop Woman With Knife

DENVER, CO – When a woman pulled a knife on a crowded rush-hour light rail train Thursday, other passengers tried to distract her, then knocked her down and pushed her off the train, police said. Two people were stabbed in the altercation around 5:55 p.m. at the 18th and California RTD station. Police did not identify the train line where the incident happened. Several lines run through the 18th and California station.

Maressa Christina Archuleta, 26, described as "transient" on an incident report, allegedly began to make a disturbance on the train and then pulled out a knife, a police report said. A male passenger "attempted to distract Archuleta" and she allegedly swung at him several times with the knife. A female passenger then approached Archulta from behind and kicked her "in an attempt to knock her down," the police said.

Archuleta turned and allegedly stabbed the woman in the side with the knife. At that point police said several passengers jumped on Archuleta and held her down, then pushed her off the train. The male passenger found he had a cut on his forehead above his left eye from the knife, police said.

Aruchleta was taken into custody as she walked on 17th Street near Welton Street. During a safety patdown, officers recovered a silver knife attached to her pants waistband, the report said. Witnesses identified Archuleta as the woman on the train.

Archuleta is being held in the Denver County Jail without bond facing charges of second-degree assault.

Image via Denver Police Department

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