A Wisconsin man allegedly punched an elderly public bus driver dozens of times because he was “having a bad day” and thought the older man had stolen his phone, according to authorities.
According to Milwaukee County court records, Anthony Miller, 23, has been charged with battery on a public transit operator and physical abuse of an elderly person with the intent to cause bodily harm.
The incident happened on July 18.
Miller is said to have gotten off a Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus around 10:30 a.m. on the day in question, according to a criminal complaint reviewed by local Fox affiliate WITI.
According to the 72-year-old bus driver, the suspect “forced his way back onto the bus pushing in the door and began yelling at (the bus driver) asking where his phone was,” the charging document states.
This passenger then “forced himself past the security plexiglass protecting (the bus driver) and began striking (the bus driver) in the face with a closed fist approximately 20 times,” according to the complaint.
The driver is said to have sustained a 4-inch laceration on his forehead that required four stitches, as well as pain and swelling throughout his face and head. Following the attack, the suspect fled.
Milwaukee police reportedly arrived on the scene at Teutonia and Florist avenues shortly after learning that a bus driver had been assaulted. Authorities allege that video surveillance assisted detectives in identifying Miller as their suspect.
First, investigators obtained the bus driver’s account. Then the suspect told his story. Miller was interviewed on Wednesday, WITI reported, and admitted to being involved in an incident on a county bus. The attack appeared to be motivated by a single factor: “he was having a bad day,” authorities stated.
Miller reportedly described “having to come up with rent and having his car stolen,” and when he got off the bus, he realized he had dropped or forgotten his phone and assumed the bus driver had it.
The suspect allegedly told police that “the bus driver assaulted him, so he assaulted the bus driver back,” but couldn’t remember how many times he hit the driver in total.
Miller was arrested on Wednesday and is being held under $5,000 bail. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 25.
