The union that represents D.C. Metro train operators and bus drivers said bad behavior by passengers continues to be a problem after two high-profile incidents involving abuse on transit personnel.
A recent security report released by the Metro Transit Police Department showed assaults on bus operators rose about 20 percent for the first six months of 2017 when compared to the same time frame in 2016. Anthony Garland, of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said bad passenger behavior has become so epidemic that drastic measures are needed.
In August, a woman threw a cup of urine on a bus driver before fleeing from the vehicle. The suspect was arrested and said the driver had been rude to her.
On Sunday, Metro Transit police officers arrested a man for kidnapping a driver. Police said the bus was headed up 6th Street in the Chinatown area, when Tarik Samuel Abraham got on the bus through the back door without paying the fare.
According to the police report, when the driver told him he had to pay, he yelled, "I’m not paying. I'm from Langley Park. You all not going to do (expletive.)"
The report said when the driver pulled over to ask a supervisor to call police, Abraham placed his back against the plastic driver shield and said, "You're not going anywhere." The driver was eventually released.
Court records showed Abraham, who was charged with kidnapping, had been arrested a half-dozen times previously.
