Bus Driver Arrested After Stabbing Passenger Who Attacked Him

This past Friday was unlucky for a Brooklyn Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus driver and one of his passengers when the bus driver was arrested for allegedly stabbing the passenger who purportedly spat on him and punched him in the eye.

According to Law & Crime, New York Police Department police officers arrested bus driver Ian Bascombe and Quentin Branch, a passenger on his bus, after a dispute between them got violent on Friday, Dec. 13, on a Brooklyn bus.

Authorities said the incident occurred on a B41 bus in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. An argument ensued after the 33-year-old Branch wanted Bascombe to open the door between stops to let him off, but the 58-year-old driver refused. Branch claims he got on the wrong bus, but Bascombe kept driving after he made his request.

An official from NYPD said, “The passenger wanted to exit at an unauthorized stop.”

When Bascombe didn’t stop the bus, Branch said, “I’m going to break your jaw,” and allegedly went around the protective plexiglass divider, spat on the bus driver, and punched him in the face. After being struck, Bascombe pulled out his knife and stabbed Branch several times in the head and leg.

The dispute happened before 12:30 p.m.

Branch was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was listed as stable.

Police say that both men were arrested and charged for the disturbance. Bascombe is charged with two counts of second and third-degree assault and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; Branch’s charges are one count of second-degree harassment and two counts of second and third-degree assault.

“Violence on buses puts New Yorkers at risk and is not acceptable,” said Frank Annicaro, NYC Transit’s senior vice president for buses, in a statement. “Pending internal review, this Bus Operator is being withheld from service.”

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