BOSTON (CBS) – A Boston couple was arrested Sunday, accused of assaulting an MBTA employee at Downtown Crossing.

Robert Snyder, 45, of Roxbury and Shayla Witts, 28, a homeless Boston resident, were arrested at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday after an alleged assault that left an MBTA employee hospitalized.

Police said that while the MBTA worker was escorting an intoxicated man and woman from Downtown Crossing he was sucker punched and put into a bear hug by Snyder.

Witts then allegedly began punching the man in the head and ripping out his hair.

When transit police officers arrived on scene, they found the MBTA inspector bleeding from the nose with several marks on his face. He was transported to Tufts Medical Center.

Snyder and Witts repeatedly used racial slurs while describing their version of the incident, police said.

Initially, police said Snyder denied hitting the man, but then said “I punched him a few times.” According to the police report, Snyder was smiling when he told officers he assaulted the MBTA employee.

Witts told police the fight started when the worker slammed the gate on the couple. She said Snyder hit the man in retaliation.

Police said Witts admitted to punching the man several times and pulling out his hair.

Both Snyder and Witts were charged with aggravated assault and battery on an MBTA employee and simple assault and battery on an MBTA employee.

Each was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Boston Municipal Court.

According to the MBTA there are have been 57 assaults on employees this year, down from previous years. The latest attack, however, was the most serious, transit officials said.