MTA Bus Driver Punched After Refusing to Give Passenger Free Ride

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A bus stop on Merrick Boulevard near 220th Street, where a bus driver was punched in the face by a passenger. Background photo via Google Maps, inset photo of the suspect courtesy of the NYPD.

A bus stop on Merrick Boulevard near 220th Street, where a bus driver was punched in the face by a passenger. Background photo via Google Maps, inset photo of the suspect courtesy of the NYPD.

By Jonathan Sperling

A bus driver on his route between Jamaica and Rosedale was punched in the face after refusing to allow an unruly passenger a free ride.

The 32-year-old victim was driving the Q5 bus on Merrick Boulevard and 220th Street on Friday, Dec. 14 at around 10:30 p.m. when the perp got on and demanded a free ride, according to the NYPD.

After the driver refused, the unidentified suspect punched him in the face several times before fleeing by foot northbound on Merrick Boulevard.

The suspect was captured on the bus’s surveillance video and is described as a black man, approximately 20-24 years of age, 6 feet, 185lbs; last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, blue sweatpants with white stripes going down the side and white sneakers.

Assaulting an MTA employee is a Class D felony charge that can carry up to seven years in prison.

Anyone with information in regard to the incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.