An 18-year-old who was allegedly filmed brutally striking a middle-aged bus driver in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 1 has been arrested and charged with felony assault.
Michael Cubie Jr., was arrested and charged with assault with intent to commit hijacking (a felony), and third degree assault (a misdemeanor), according to a KCPD statement.
Assault with intent to commit hijacking is defined by Missouri law as "intimidation, threat, assault or battery toward any driver, attendant or guard of a bus so as to interfere with the performance of duties."
According to a Kansas City police incident report, on Oct. 1, Cubie and six other individuals boarded a Kansas City ATA bus without paying. Driver Jefferey P. Park, 54, asked the group to leave, and when they did, 11 blocks later, Cubie allegedly hit him in the face, knocking him unconscious.
Park also suffered a laceration on his top lip and was bleeding from the mouth when EMS workers arrived. The driver was treated and released at the scene, the incident report states.
Capt. Steve Young of the KCPD called the blow a "cheap shot" in a phone interview with The Huffington Post on Oct. 4, but said that the department received an outpouring of community response after it posted surveillance video of the alleged assault to its YouTube channel.
Fox News Kansas City reported that two witnesses, who were among the group asked to leave, said that Cubie "told the group he intended to assault the driver by punching him in the face."
Cubie was given a bond amount of $10,000. A criminal complaint against him has been filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Related
Before You Go
