Crime & Safety

Cleveland RTA Bus Driver Hits Female Passenger: Video Taken in Beachwood

RTA confirms that the viral video of a 22-year veteran driver uppercutting a passenger - with nearly 3.3 million hits - was taken locally.

A video of a bus driver punching a passenger on an RTA bus that has gone viral online is from an incident in Beachwood, an RTA spokesperson confirmed today.

Our sister site, Beachwood Patch, has the story.

Warning: Video contains graphic scenes and language.

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The video, first posted on the website WorldStarHipHop.com Oct. 11, has since been viewed nearly 3.3 million times there and reportings on YouTube have been viewed over 45,000 times.

In the shaky, graphic video, a woman is seen standing at the front of the bus arguing with the driver, whose name has not been released by the RTA. The two threaten each other and the woman approaches the driver, possibly striking him.

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The driver stops the bus and gets out of his seat. Someone yells, "You going to jail now!" and then the driver uppercuts the woman and throws her off the bus.

She climbs back on the bus and the two scuffle before the video cuts off.

The RTA spokesperson said today that the video was taken Sept. 18 on Route 5, which runs down Chagrin Boulevard from Warrensville Center Road to Lander Road with a loop south on Richmond Road to northbound Park East Drive.

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The driver has been an employee of RTA for 22 years, the spokesperson said. Per the RTA's union contract, the company will not release the driver's name until he and his union representative have been contacted.

In an emailed statement, RTA wrote, "RTA saw the video posted on YouTube of the operator incident on October 11. Through the investigation, we believe the incident occurred on Sept. 18. Upon identifying the driver, he was immediately suspended and removed from duty. His behavior is absolutely unacceptable. 

"RTA apologizes to our customers for this incident. A full investigation continues."

The spokeswoman added that the 25-year-old woman did not press charges against the driver the day of the incident.


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