Photo: Dawn Y. Carraway
BERKELEY — Responding to multiple reports of a rampage in the theater district, police arrested a longtime homeless woman for assaulting people—again.
Her most recent arrest on November 1 came as the result of multiple assaults. Sometime around 9 a.m., citizens began phoning police to report an angry heavyset woman was on the rampage. She began by knocking over garbage cans, and the situation escalated from there.
Carraway’s latest weapon
Eventually the suspect was walking around downtown: hitting people with sticks, throwing sticks at passing cars, and breaking store windows. Two persons were attacked. Both victims were struck in the head, while waiting to cross the street. One victim required treatment for injuries at a hospital.
In response, Berkeley officers with experience in crisis intervention were dispatched to Shattuck Avenue, near Allston Way. The suspect they encountered, 29-year-old Dawn Y. Carraway is familiar to law enforcement.
Carraway has a history of arrests for assault, battery, drugs, and other crimes. She has been in and out of county jail, and on and off probation many times.
When officers attempted to make contact, Carraway allegedly struck one officer in the head with a tree branch. More officers arrived on the scene, and two more officers suffered cuts and bruises. Finally, Carraway was arrested at 9:31 a.m.
Presently, Carraway remains housed at Santa Rita Jail, following her most recent booking there. This time, she faces eight felonies, including various assault charges, as well as vandalism.
