Abbotsford police are recommending assault charges against a 26-year-old man who allegedly attacked a bus driver on Tuesday afternoon.
At approximately 4 p.m. a 50-year-old transit bus driver was stopped at the 32900 block of South Fraser Way, near Bourquin Crescent, when his accused attacker entered the bus.
Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said the driver recognized the man as someone who "had caused a problem earlier" and had been "verbally abusive."
The driver refused to move the bus until the man left.
"(The attacker) appeared to be exiting the bus but instead started punching the bus driver in the face," said MacDonald.
The driver was wearing his seatbelt, making it difficult to defend himself.
Several witnesses called the police, but the man had left the scene by the time they arrived.
MacDonald said that fortunately the man had only fled as far as George Ferguson Way and Ware Street, so police were able to pick him up.
The individual is someone the police have had "negative" contact with before.
The bus driver suffered a broken nose.
MacDonald called the event an isolated incident.