Bus driver fired after shocking video reveals passenger being punched 18 times in the head for 'asking too many questions'
Shocking surveillance video shows a
Nebraska bus driver who is accused of assaulting a passenger repeatedly
punching the man before dragging him off the vehicle and leaving him on
the side of a road.
Troy Fischer, 43, was fired from StarTran Bus Service in Lincoln on Thursday, reported the Lincoln Journal Star. Officials released the video Friday and Fischer has been cited on suspicion of misdemeanor assault in the March 23 incident.
The video shows Fischer communicating with the lone passenger. At some point, Fischer becomes agitated with the man, stops the bus and begins attacking him, screaming 'What did I say about the next question you asked me?'
The video shows Fischer punching the passenger 18 times. He then drags him off the bus and leaves him on the side of a road.
Miki Esposito, director for the city's Public Works and Utilities Department, said Fischer was initially suspended without pay after the incident.
But he was fired after a disciplinary hearing that allowed him to rebut the allegations. Esposito called Fischer's actions reprehensible.
'This type of behavior is not, cannot and will not be tolerated by the city of Lincoln,' she said.The Associated Press could not reach Fischer for comment Friday.
Esposito said the March incident began after Fischer notified his supervisor that he was having trouble with a passenger.
The supervisor instructed Fischer to let the passenger leave voluntarily or call police. 'His directions were blatantly ignored,' Esposito said. 'He took matters into his own hands.
In the video, Fischer is heard telling his supervisor after the attack that he put the passenger off the bus and 'it wasn't pretty.'
Esposito said there were no red
flags with Fischer, who had been a driver for StarTran for four years.
He was warned once for a traffic violation, and he had a DUI case in
2004 that was dismissed.
Fischer was remorseful during the disciplinary hearing, Esposito said.
The newspaper reported that investigators have been unable to reach the man in the video, who provided an address and phone number to police on the day of the attack.
Troy Fischer, 43, was fired from StarTran Bus Service in Lincoln on Thursday, reported the Lincoln Journal Star. Officials released the video Friday and Fischer has been cited on suspicion of misdemeanor assault in the March 23 incident.
The video shows Fischer communicating with the lone passenger. At some point, Fischer becomes agitated with the man, stops the bus and begins attacking him, screaming 'What did I say about the next question you asked me?'
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Fired: Bus driver Troy Fischer was fired after a video was released that appeared to show him punching a passenger 18 times
The video appears to show Fischer beating the passenger repeatedly before dumping the victim by the side of the road
Miki Esposito, director for the city's Public Works and Utilities Department, said Fischer was initially suspended without pay after the incident.
But he was fired after a disciplinary hearing that allowed him to rebut the allegations. Esposito called Fischer's actions reprehensible.
'This type of behavior is not, cannot and will not be tolerated by the city of Lincoln,' she said.The Associated Press could not reach Fischer for comment Friday.
The alleged victim is the only passenger on the
bus and at some point, Fischer becomes agitated with the man, stops the
bus and begins attacking him, screaming 'What did I say about the next
question you asked me?'
The supervisor instructed Fischer to let the passenger leave voluntarily or call police. 'His directions were blatantly ignored,' Esposito said. 'He took matters into his own hands.
In the video, Fischer is heard telling his supervisor after the attack that he put the passenger off the bus and 'it wasn't pretty.'
The incident occurred on March 23 on a StarTran bus in Lincoln, Nebraska
Fischer was remorseful during the disciplinary hearing, Esposito said.
The newspaper reported that investigators have been unable to reach the man in the video, who provided an address and phone number to police on the day of the attack.
