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Augustine Collier, inset via Nashville Metro Police Department, was arrested after he allegedly attacked another passenger on a bus. The bus driver got help after he displayed a message that said ‘Call 911.’ (WeGo Public Transit)
A bus driver in Tennessee displayed “call 911” on the front of the bus after a passenger attacked another passenger.
The Nashville Police Department received a call from a woman who saw the message on the WeGo Public Transit bus. Cops caught up with the bus at the next stop and interviewed the victim, who told police she got on the bus and sat down when a suspect, later identified as 40-year-old Augustine Collier, came up from behind her and grabbed her right hand, which was holding a phone.
She said Collier “continued to say racial comments to her and asked her why she was taking photos of him,” an arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime says. As the two were scuffling, the bus driver slammed the brakes, causing Collier to fall onto the ground. Other passengers broke the two up until police arrived.
Collier admitted to trying to take the woman’s phone and break it because he thought she was taking photos of him and he “feared for his safety,” the affidavit said. He said he wanted to choke her but couldn’t because he lost his balance after the driver suddenly stopped, according to the report.
When cops arrested him, they found a glass bottle with suspected marijuana inside. Officers arrested Collier on robbery and possession of controlled substance charges and took him to the Davidson County Jail on an $11,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 5.
A spokesman for WeGo released the following statement:
The safety of our passengers and our operators is a top priority. We provide several weeks of safety training during hiring and ongoing safety training throughout the year. Operators have a number of ways to get help if a situation arises, including a variety of electronic resources. Posting the 911 message to the electronic display is one of several options provided in training. We appreciate the dedication our Operators have to safety.
