A man has been arrested following an alleged assault on an Auckland bus driver and is set to appear in court.
The suspect, a 36-year-old West Harbour resident, has been charged with assault and will appear in Auckland District Court on 13 September.
According to police, the incident occurred on Saturday morning when a passenger attempted to board the bus without paying. The driver confronted the individual, leading to an alleged assault, after which the offender fled on foot.
Inspector Wayne Kitcher, Area Prevention Manager for Auckland City West Police, said the man later boarded another bus in an attempt to evade capture, hiding at the back. "Our staff boarded the bus and arrested the man without further incident," Kitcher said.
"We have zero tolerance for violence on public transport and will continue to prosecute offenders," Kitcher told Herald. "No one should face harm while simply doing their job."
The victim, Rajnish Trehan, recounted the incident to the Herald, stating that the man became confrontational when asked to pay for his fare. The altercation occurred shortly after 10 am on his Number 18 bus, a service that runs from the city to West Auckland via Avondale.
Trehan said the man was the last of three passengers to board on Great North Road, Avondale.
Auckland Transport’s public transport operations group manager, Rachel Cara, confirmed the agency was aware of the incident and was assisting police with their investigation. "Our bus operator is ensuring the driver receives the support they need," she said in a statement.
Cara highlighted that Auckland Transport has implemented several measures to enhance public safety, including hiring 12 additional transport officers, installing CCTV, GPS, and panic buttons, and collaborating more closely with police at high-risk locations. Additionally, 80% of the bus fleet will be retrofitted with safety screens over the next two years.
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