PSTA Bus Driver Punched By Rider

St. Petersburg, FL – A 58-year-old PSTA driver had to have stitches under his right eye after telling a rider his expired student identification card didn’t qualify him for a half-priced fare.

According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, the incident that led to the driver’s injury began around 4 p.m. on June 17. A male rider got on the bus at Central Avenue and 49th Street and produced an expired ID card, attempting to claim the discount.

Noticing the card was expired, the driver told the man he would have to pay the full fare. The rider, however, refused, police said. At that point, the driver pulled over at Central Avenue and 47th Street and told the man to get off the bus.

“The rider then punched the bus driver in the right eye and ran off,” police wrote in an email to media. The driver suffered a cut under his right eye that required stitches. His glasses were also broken when he was hit, police said.

Officers are now looking for the man with the expired student identification. They say he’s between 18 and 24 years old. He stands around 6-foot-1 and weighs between 140 and 180 pounds. The black male has a light complexion and was last seen wearing dark clothing and a black apron. Police say he may work for a fast-food restaurant.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to call the St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780.

Photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg Police Department