Woman arrested after allegedly hitting SF officer with skateboard

Vera Rideout, 21, allegedly struck a San Francisco police officer with her skateboard. Source: SFPD Vera Rideout, 21, allegedly struck a San Francisco police officer with her skateboard. Source: SFPD Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Woman arrested after allegedly hitting SF officer with skateboard 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A 21-year-old woman has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly walloping a bicycle-riding police officer across the head with a skateboard outside of The San Francisco Chronicle building at Fifth and Mission streets.

Vera Rideout, 21, was skating northbound on Fifth Street on September 5 at 5:46 p.m. when she leaped from her skateboard and sneaked up on the police officer from behind. Grasping the skateboard with two hands she then bashed the officer across the back of the head, according to police reports.

“It was an entirely unprovoked act — there was no rhyme or reason as to why this person wanted to strike the officer,” said public information officer Carlos Manfredi. “No words were exchanged. The officer didn’t even know she was there.”

The officer, who was not identified, was knocked off balance but managed to avoid crashing to the ground. He quickly jumped off his bike and arrested Rideout, who challenged the officer to a fight as he cuffed her, police said.

The blow was strong enough to crack the officer’s helmet in several places, both the plastic exterior and the Styrofoam lining. The helmet prevented a much more serious injury, according to Manfredi. The officer, who was in uniform at the time of the incident, was treated and released.

Rideout was booked for assault with a deadly weapon, threats against an officer and possession of a controlled substance, psychedelic mushrooms.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen