Woman accused of tossing fruit at gays

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - A Pacifica woman was arrested Sunday on suspicion of a hate crime for allegedly throwing fruit and vegetables at a gay couple while riding in a van, police said Monday.

Tiffany Adler, 20, who works at a grocery store, was a passenger in a van in Pacifica on Sunday when she spotted a gay couple who frequent the store, according to police.

As the van drove by around 7:50 p.m. on the 500 block of Esplanade Drive, she allegedly rolled down the window and threw apples and vegetables at them, police said. Later, the van turned around and approached the couple again as she allegedly yelled the word “faggot” at them.

The gender of the couple was not immediately known.

At least some of what was thrown appears to have hit the couple, according to the police report.

Adler, the only person arrested, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor hate crime and misdemeanor battery and released.

“Her statement was that she wasn’t aware that they were gay,” police Sgt. Jim Tasa said. “She thought they were people that she had a prior conflict with.”

A court date has been set for April 13.

bfoley@examiner.com