Unprovoked attack at Berkeley homeless camp: Charges filed
Police say the victim was walking by when Ruby Valdez came out of her tent, threw plywood at her and pulled her to the ground by her hair.
A Berkeley homeless camp resident who used a metal broom handle to attack a passerby was charged with felony assault this week, according to court papers.
The attack, which police described as completely unprovoked, happened Thursday, March 6, as the woman walked near Seventh and Harrison streets in northwest Berkeley.
Police say the victim was walking by a tent when its occupant came outside, threw plywood at her and pulled her to the ground by her hair, according to court papers.
The tent occupant, later identified as 37-year-old Ruby Valdez, "struck the victim multiple times in the head with a black metal broom handle."
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A witness called for help for the injured woman who was "bleeding profusely from the head," according to radio traffic reviewed by The Scanner.
Arriving officers spoke with the victim, who had "multiple injuries to her head and face," and located Valdez in her tent nearby, according to charging papers.
Berkeley police found a broom handle covered in what appeared to be blood next to the tent, BPD wrote.
The Berkeley Fire Department took the victim to Highland Hospital, the regional trauma center, for treatment.
Police noted that Valdez had prior arrests or convictions related to assault, robbery and battery and was already on probation for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury.
Records indicate that the assault case involved violence against a Berkeley Animal Shelter staffer in September 2024.
Ruby Valdez. BPD
According to court papers, Valdez also has a misdemeanor battery conviction from 2023 that resulted in unsupervised probation.
On Tuesday, Valdez entered a not-guilty plea in the new case before Judge Elena Condes, according to court records.
She remains in custody with a bail of $30,000 and is set for a pretrial hearing March 20, according to records online.
Update, 2:20 p.m. A booking photograph was added to the story after publication when it became available.
BPD said Valdez's permanent address is listed in Albany.
