Angry woman sprayed Pace bus driver in Joliet with Mace: cops

A Joliet woman was arrested after she was accused of causing a disturbance on a Pace bus and spraying the driver with Mace, police said.

About 11 a.m. Monday, officers responded to the area of Theodore Street and Heiden Avenue in response to a Pace bus driver who had been possibly Maced by a passenger, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

Officers arrived and determined that a passenger on the bus identified as Natasha Bradford, 29, of Joliet caused a disturbance by yelling and swearing at the bus driver, English said.

Bradford continued to cause a disturbance and refused to sit down when directed by the driver, English said.

The driver stopped the Pace bus in the 1500 block of Theodore Street, and Bradford then “sprayed the driver with an unknown substance, which caused the driver’s eyes to burn and caused breathing issues,” English said.

Bradford fled the bus and the driver was treated at the scene by the Joliet Fire Department, English said.

About 2:50 p.m. the same day, officers responded to the parking lot of Louis Joliet Mall and Bradford was seen exiting a different Pace bus, English said.

Officers met with Bradford and took her into custody. They recovered a can of Mace from Bradford, English said. Bradford was then taken to the Will County jail.