A man commandeered a Hamilton city bus while passengers were aboard, according to authorities. The incident unfolded around 9 p.m. when a bus driver took a brief break at the MacNab Bus Terminal downtown, as revealed in a press release by Hamilton police. Seizing the opportunity, a 36-year-old man with no fixed address entered the bus, occupied the driver’s seat, and drove off towards the Mountain area. Notably, the bus was an articulated model with an extended section connecting the front and rear vehicles, as explained by police spokesperson Trevor McKenna.
Throughout the joy ride, the man made multiple stops, allowing passengers to embark and disembark at various bus stops. At certain points, around 10 passengers were present on the bus, according to McKenna. Despite the unusual situation, the man managed the bus proficiently without any mishaps, earning praise from McKenna for his performance. Although the incident had a humorous aspect, authorities emphasized the seriousness of the situation and expressed gratitude that no injuries occurred.
Nancy Purser, the transit director, mentioned that the city is collaborating with law enforcement to explore potential measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, the union representing bus drivers did not provide a response when contacted for comments.
In an interesting turn of events, passengers initially mistook the man for a legitimate bus driver, as stated by McKenna. However, as he began to veer off course, passengers became suspicious and started questioning him. One passenger even guided him back to the correct route after noticing the deviation. The man even refused entry to an individual with an expired bus pass, displaying a level of authority that raised suspicions among passengers.
Police adopted a cautious approach, covertly tracking the bus to minimize public safety risks. Through coordination with the Hamilton Street Railway and utilizing the bus’s GPS system, officers maintained surveillance on the vehicle without activating sirens to avoid alarming the suspect. The pursuit culminated peacefully when the bus came to a stop on West 5th Street after approximately 15 minutes, leading to the man’s arrest without any resistance.
Subsequently, the man faced charges including theft over $5,000, possession over $5,000, obstructing police, and driving while prohibited. McKenna indicated that the man’s identity was withheld due to potential mental health implications surrounding the incident.