Dad with Baby Stroller Punches Metra Conductor: Police

BUFFALO GROVE, IL - A 51-year-old Buffalo Grove man has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a transit employee for accusations he punched a Metra conductor in the face and tried to push him down a stairway at Union Station earlier this month.

George J. Kopsias is accused of punching the conductor at about 4:40 p.m. on Dec. 8 while on a North Central Service train, according to a Metra press release.

He then exited the train and walked north to the Madison Street exit to the station as he pushed a baby stroller with his wife and three children. The conductor followed the suspect up the stairs from the platform to Madison, where the suspect again made physical contact with the conductor and tried to push him down the stairs, according to the news release.

The conductor was treated for facial injuries at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and released.

Metra detectives recovered video of the offender entering and exiting the train station and were able to gather other information that lead police e to positively identifying the suspect as Kopsias, according to the news release.

Kospsias was scheduled to appear in bond court in Cook County on Wednesday.

“The safety of our conductors and of our passengers is our highest priority, and we will vigorously investigate all incidents and seek to prosecute all suspects to the fullest extent of the law,” said Metra Police Chief Joseph Perez.

Metra reminds its customers to report any and all suspicious or criminal activity on Metra property to Metra Police at 312-322-2800.