A 59-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a hate crime inside a Mountain View business Sunday afternoon. 

Around 4 pm on July 10, dispatchers received a call that a man had just punched another man inside the Dollar Tree, located on the 100 block of East Middlefield Road. Responding officers were provided a detailed description of the suspect and spotted him as soon as they arrived on scene.

The suspect, identified as Rafael Ponce, a 59-year-old homeless man, refused to listen to officer commands to stop, and tried to ride away from the scene on a bicycle. Officers followed Ponce and found him along the Stevens Creek Trail where he was detained without incident.

During the course of our patrol officers’ investigation, we learned that Ponce had allegedly called the victim a derogatory term based on his perceived sexual orientation before punching him in the face.

Ponce was arrested on suspicion of a hate crime, battery and resisting arrest. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail.

Media inquiries can be sent to PIO Katie Nelson at policepio@mountainview.gov.