An elderly employee of Woody's Laundromat in Oakland was brutally attacked by two customers, an incident captured on video, causing her to fear for her life. Ruth Wilde, affectionately known as Ruthie, experienced what she termed the "longest eight minutes" of her life during an assault by two women after informing them of the establishment's closing hours. According to CBS News Bay Area, the altercation commenced when the customers were notified they could no longer wash their clothes due to the last wash time having passed.
The surveillance footage shows the attackers, one of whom was later cited by the Oakland Police Department, harassing and repeatedly assaulting Wilde. The incident began to quickly escalate at approximately 7 p.m. on March 16, after the women were made aware that they missed the laundromat's cutoff time for the last wash. Despite leaving initially, the assailants returned about 40 minutes later, accusing Wilde of losing their clothes and demanding to review the surveillance video, which Wilde refused, citing her lack of access to the camera system. This refusal seemed to trigger them into progressing to physical violence.
"They punched me again and hard enough that my nose was bleeding. I saw stars and lights because they hit me so hard," Wilde told CBS News Bay Area. Wilde, who has been a fixture at Woody's Laundromat for 27 years, has not returned to work since the attack, fearing potential retaliation. Robert Ma, one of the laundromat's owners, queried the nature of the assault, suggesting that the attack on the 65-year-old, 88-pound worker should also be seen as a case of elder abuse.
The Oakland Police Department responded to the 911 call, though they only cited the woman in the black hat and released both women. This response was met with frustration, with Wilde expressing anger at the criminal justice system, indicating the assailants could potentially escape stern consequences. "It's a misdemeanor, and they can't do anything about it," Wilde said. Lesleyann Coker, who was present at Woody's Laundromat when the incident occurred, described the attackers’ citation to a reporter as akin to “getting a speeding ticket.” The suspect who received the citation will be required to appear before a judge later, but Wilde and Ma worry that the case might be dismissed or resolved with just a fine.
2 hit 65yo Asian woman after victim, 27-year worker at Woody’s Laundromat on Park Blvd., told them they missed cutoff time for last wash. They left but came back 40 minutes later. Person in blue cited by @oaklandpoliceca, like “speeding ticket,” owner tells me. “It’s disturbing” pic.twitter.com/zFGCEFfyEB
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) March 24, 2024
Despite the traumatic experience and ongoing concerns, the community recognizes Wilde's contributions over nearly three decades. Ma reports, "Everybody knows Ruthie. They love Ruthie. Nobody ever had any problem with her. She's super nice. Our regulars love her."
