Geraldton man, 53, charged with assault public officer over alleged attack on bus driver in Utakarra

A 53-year-old Geraldton man has been charged with assaulting a bus driver after he allegedly became aggressive when the bus missed a street on the route last week. Geraldton Police officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Chris Martin said the incident happened at 3.46pm on Thursday in Archer Street in Utakarra. He alleged the bus driver for TransGeraldton was on duty when he was approached by the suspect who was acting in an aggressive manner due to the driver apparently missing a street on the bus route. “This caused victim to fear for his safety and brake heavily in the vehicle resulting in suspect losing his footing and falling into the side of the bus,” Sen. Sgt Martin said. Police allege the passenger reached through the money gap in the driver’s side bus door and grabbed his shirt “with force”, ripping his buttons, as well as making contact with the alleged victim’s face and neck. The bus driver parked the bus and called police immediately. Sen. Sgt Martin said the bus driver did not have any bruising and did not require medical treatment. He said officers attended the scene and gained accounts from all involved parties. Police charged a 53-year-old man with assaulting a public officer. Sen. Sgt Martin said the man “under caution made partial admissions”. He will appear in Geraldton Magistrates Court on May 12. This case comes after an incident in January which saw 36-year-old man Edward Charles Abbott attack a 66-year-old TransWA bus driver at the Geraldton bus station on Chapman Road after he attempted to board a bus without a valid ticket. The bus driver was punched multiple times in the face, jaw and groin, resulting in bruising, swelling and damage to his teeth. Abbott’s assault was only stopped when a passenger intervened, blocking him from his victim. He pleaded guilty and was handed a nine-month suspended sentence. A series of assaults against bus drivers in WA recently has prompted unions to call for more security at regional stations and an emergency summit to address the “safety crisis”. Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Union WA branch secretary Joshua Dekuyer said the bus driver who was attacked in Geraldton in January had this message: “Please don’t let this matter disappear, we have been asking for security for a long time.”