Anatomy of a Bus Driver Beating

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So here's how it went down with that MTA bus driver who got punched in the face by a rider dissatisfied with the quality of his commute. According to driver Gilberto Davila, the situation devolved pretty quickly after he stopped to let on Jason Ferreira, 22, in Bensonhurst Monday morning. Not long after boarding, Ferreira asked if the bus had arrived at Flatbush Avenue yet, prompting Davila to laugh and tell him that since the bus had only traveled two blocks, Flatbush was still at least 20 blocks away. "That's why you goddamn bus drivers always get beat up," Ferreira "exploded," according to Davila's account in the Daily News. (They also get spat upon and stabbed, too.)

"If it weren't for the cameras, I would kick your ass," Ferreira continued, under the impression that video cameras were recording inside the bus. Then things got physical when Davila pulled the bus over. According to the News, both men are over 6 feet tall and weigh over 200 pounds. "I stood up and I got clocked in the face," Davila says. "He hit me and we got tangled. I wanted to get him off the bus, but I couldn't. I was born in Brooklyn and I can handle myself, but he's a strong young man. He tossed me off the bus like I was a feather."

It's still unclear how Ferreria was apprehended, but it appears that he did not commandeer the bus and proceed to his precious Flatbush Avenue at his desired pace. Instead, he was charged with felony assault, misdemeanor menacing and harassment, and released on $500 bail. Davila walked away with a black eye, scrapes to his face, bumps on his head and a pain in the neck.

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By John Del Signore in News on June 30, 2010 4:21 PM

Comments [rss]

adeez

Ha! I'm not sure if I'd bet that's how it went down. But I gotta say, that was an enjoyable read. Good job.

Mr Mel

Good read but bad scene.

Kreo

We have heard only one side of the story. Do not let the guy's criminal record steer your judgement!

You can also interpret the whole story differently. The passenger politely inquired if Flatbush was near. The driver laughed in a challenging way and made a humiliating comment about the two block travel, implying that the person asking is an idiot. The passenger's street cred did not allow him to be talked to this way. The verbal argument proceeded to heat up. But it was only verbal, until the driver who felt very macho that day pulled the bus over and got up from his seat with the intent to shut the passenger up by way of physical altercation. The passenger complied and willingly engaged. The driver lost miserably and along the way learned that 200 lbs of fat is not the same of 200 lbs of prison- or gym-conditioned muscle, and the macho feeling the uniform, Brooklyn hood origins and imaginary physical abilities give you should be kept under control.

inoyourider

Maybe 'street cred' should be replaced with brains and we wouldn't have so much human garbage.

PTG in nyc

Kudos to the bus driver for taking care of himself, but let's all admit that he's obviously enjoying his paid 2 months leave right now.

Repeat offenders suck, this guy has no hope

Splicer

At the very least the accused sounds a tad unstable. Perhaps a psych evaluation and a stay at Bellevue might have been in order.

theLtrain

Why would he get taken to bellvue when this happened in brooklyn?

inoyourider

How does this scumbag get released?

And on $500 bail???

A felony and a misdemeanor in one day, plus SIX prior arrests.

Sentencing needs to get a lot harsher so we can have less numerous-repeat-offenders walking around.