(credit: Boston Fire Department)
BOSTON (CBS) – A fight on board an MBTA bus led to a crash in Boston on Monday, leaving one man trapped, authorities said.
WBZ-TV’s Ken MacLeod reports.
The MBTA said the 39-year-old bus driver was assaulted by at least one passenger, causing the bus to hit a building at 389 Dudley Street.
(credit: Bernice Corpuz)
The driver apparently asked one of the passengers to put out a cigarette. That passenger refused, leading the bus driver to stop the bus. Multiple passengers then allegedly attacked the driver, and the bus then moved, hitting a sidewalk, sign pole, and a storefront.
“I saw these people beating that bus driver, punching him in his face and everything,” one witness told WBZ-TV’s Ken MacLeod. “There was two of them.”
WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Bernice Corpuz reports.
Police said that passengers involved in the fight ran from the scene. Arrests are expected in the case, according to authorities.
According to at least three witnesses, one of the suspects fleeing the scene got his leg pinned between the bus and the building. “We’ll be interviewing him and see what role, if any, he played in this incident,” said Dep. Chief Joseph O’Connor of MBTA Police.
Authorities said three people were taken to Boston Medical Center, while two others, including the trapped person, were taken to Brigham and Women’s Medical Center. The trapped person suffered a leg injury and will be OK.
While many T buses now have video cameras onboard, this one did not. Police say they’ll have to identify the suspects “the old fashioned” way.
19 Comments
Yea I see the 3 news helicopters over that area with sirens in every direction
April 11, 2011 at 4:50 pm | | Report comment
Driving A Bus For The MBTA , Is A very Dangerous Job. I hope The Driver will be ok. The Fact That Governor ( Patrick), believes In Cutting Essential Services
For The Elderly and Disabled ( THE ” RIDE”), AS an Example, Is Unbelieveable.
IF An Elderly Or Disabled Person was on this Bus where the altercation happened, They Could be severly Injured. Governor Patrick : Look Before You Leap.
April 11, 2011 at 4:54 pm | | Report comment
Joan Hogan, ANYONE on this bus could have been severely injured, not just the elderly and/or disabled. And if you read the article above, it sounds like at least five people WERE injured and have been transported to the hospital. The elderly and/or disabled could just as easily be in an accident just as serious as this one, or worse, even if they were use “The Ride”.
April 11, 2011 at 5:46 pm | | Report comment
YES IT IS TRUE ANYONE CAN GET HURT ! HOWEVER THE ” RIDE”" PROTECTS THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED MUCH MORE ADEQUATELY THEN THE REGULAR
TRANSIT SYSTEM ! THE ” RIDE” DESIGNED FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED . IT IS LESS LIKELY OCCUR ON THE ” RIDE”. AND WHEN I READ THE FIRST NEWS CLIP , IT DID NOT SAY 5 PEOPLE WERE HURT.
April 11, 2011 at 5:56 pm | | Report comment
make sure this wasn’t staged…
April 11, 2011 at 5:59 pm | | Report comment
Joan Hogan, I would much MUCH prefer to be in a giant bus in a crash. The size and weight of that huge vehicle would keep you much safer.
April 11, 2011 at 6:55 pm | | Report comment
I think irregardless of the dangers the ride obviously needs to be reexamined and conpletelty changed and have major cuts if our city doesn’t want deep debts
April 11, 2011 at 11:53 pm | | Report comment
While there is an investigation being launched into this particular incident, the “T” should consider the fact that a lot of the buses are overcrowded and those with strollers are not folding them down to make traveling all the more easier and safer not only for themselves but for their children as well.
The “T” should provide the buses with undercover T officials as well as adding additional cameras on buses that need them.
I would ask that individuals boarding the buses smelling of marijuana and alcohol be denied the privilege to ride as well it would minimize the dangers of the driver’s ability to operate the bus and it would make for a more pleasureable ride home.
its nothing like having that scent getting on the clothes of those traveling to and from work, Just thanking God that drugs and alcohol did not have a roll in this incident.
April 12, 2011 at 6:16 am | | Report comment
As unpleasant as it is, wouldn’t we prefer that those smelling of marijuana and/or alcohol take public transportation rather than get behind the wheel of a vehicle themselves?
April 12, 2011 at 7:32 am | | Report comment
Maybe an inncedent may not have happened if there were someone on the bus to monitor trouble, I know its not poissible , but if there was then there would have been much more control of the bus driver since someone else could have handled the problem,, Its just a suggestion,, But I also know they wont do it since the BUDGET is the real issue with this. As for the RIDE verses thr T, the RIDE has special equipment to lock down all wheelchairs also there is seatbelts for non wheelchair riders, they have a drop gate and an emergency exit, they only carry a small amount of passangers, and the safety is key for the dissabled, if an wheelchair should get loose and roll around there would be more than an injury , there could be major injury or death. these passangers would have no way of protecting them selfs on a bigger bus.. The RIDE is important to all that need it.
April 12, 2011 at 8:37 am | | Report comment
this is so awful poor bus driver, those animals need to be thrown in jail and left to rot
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http://ethicalfutures.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/how-to-survive-the-reccession-the-keys-to-survival/
April 12, 2011 at 9:17 am | | Report comment
A GOOD QUESTION REMAINS UNANSWERED! HOW CAN AN MBTA BUS ACCOMMODATE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN WHEEL CHAIIRS, FOR ONE BUS !
MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT GIVE UP THEIR SEAT FOR A DISABLED OR ELDERLY PERSON ! I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER BUS, DUE TO OVERCROWDING. ,AND THE FACT MORE THAN ONE PASSENGER WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR ! THINK ABOUT THAT K DOWNEY!
April 12, 2011 at 8:24 pm | | Report comment
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I just wanted to say that i hope that everyone that was involved in the incident the other day is ok. I hope that the bus driver that was involved is ok he is a great guy. Working for public transportation is a tough job u have a duty to get people to their destinations safely.Its sad to see that there are people who are so disrespectful of other peoples well being.Seriously who does that light up a cigarette on the bus really.
April 15, 2011 at 1:23 am | | Report comment
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