City Bus Driver Wanted "To Kill"

The NYC Transit bus driver who struck and killed 22-year-old Seth Kahn last week is probably regretting some previous Facebook status updates. Following the accident last Wednesday, it came out that Jeremy Philhower had been suspended previously for texting and updating his Facebook while on the job.

NYC Transit investigators infiltrated the 39-year-old's Facebook, and the Daily News has published some of his previous thoughts while behind the wheel — including this gem: "Thinking about how many people I want to kill today, including myself." Only to be followed by "I hate these people. I want to kick the shit out of them. They're idiots." And finally, he declared: "They revere me as God. Even though I hate them, they still love me."

Philhower has been driving city buses for 10 years, and last Wednesday when he hit Kahn on 53rd and 9th, it was his first day back on the job after being suspended for texting while driving. While the NYPD hasn't charged Philhower with anything yet, the MTA Inspector General Barry Kluger has launched an investigation, which will include getting to the bottom of how the driver remained behind the wheel after safety violations, and how NYC Transit failed to order a psychological evaluation of him.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on November 11, 2009 1:20 PM

Comments [rss]

carbomb

lemme guess, does he live with his mom and cross dress?

nyorker555

I'd have to see the comments in context but they dont sound like "normal" frustration.

gothamguy

Oh please... this guy shouldn't have been driving, but these status updates are totally irrelevant. Everyone says crap like this about their job and clients. Nobody means it literally.

kleinpeter

He wanted TO KILL! I bet he has horns.

Wza

Foosball...err..Facebook is the devil!

PTG in nyc

"MTA Inspector General Barry Kluger has launched an investigation, which will include getting to the bottom of how the driver remained behind the wheel after safety violations"

Two word answer: UNION EMPLOYEE

hotstepper

this guy is nuttier than a turd pie, but a megalomaniacal bus driver is a pretty good sitcom idea.

Spirit of 76

It's been done. If you check Ralph Kramden's Facebook page, you'll see he's always threatening to send his wife "to the moon."

Soggy

Oh come on. I sometimes say similar things and I only have to ride with the people on mass transit, not deal with their questions/not knowing how to use metro cards/rudeness/etc. I'm not Saigon this guy was a good worker, but lets not act like he's a homicidal maniac because he decided to vent on facebook (which is a bad idea anyway).

pastaboy12

im just as sick and sadistic as the next guy, but we all know NOT to publicly post our thoughts online....especially facebook

jaycjay

"especially facebook"

Facebook would actually be among the best places to do it, if you have the urge -- as long as you've been careful about who you've added as "friends" and have given access only to them.