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“He gave me no response, went straight upstairs.”Sealy said he followed protocol by pulling the bus over and calling his supervisor.But while they were waiting, Sealy claims the passenger aggressively requested him to start driving the bus. That, he says, is when things got out of hand.“As he was walking towards me and he got closer towards me, he went and spat straight in my face,” Sealy recalled.WATCH: (April 26, 2019) Teen sentenced for ‘despicable’ 2018 attack on Edmonton bus driver
Derrick Sealy still has bruises and cuts that required 20 stitches after he said he was knocked out and kicked several times in the head by a passenger. His story coming up on @GlobalNewsTO at 6.
BACKGROUND: https://t.co/gX0hwebduy pic.twitter.com/QlZZP55wLj
— Kamil Karamali (@KamilKaramali) July 17, 2019
“I remember that one of his hands went up in the air and I put up one of my own hands to hold it and that’s the last thing I remember,” said Sealy. “I know he had something in his hand.”
Sealy said he gained consciousness outside of the bus while being attended to by paramedics.
He said he was told by other passengers that when he blacked out and crumpled to the ground, the assailant kicked Sealy in the head and upper body several times.
“They’re trained in de-escalation, trying to get the situation calmed down.”Aikins added that Metrolinx plans to have a debriefing with Sealy about the incident and discuss what might have been done differently in that scenario.Although Metrolinx said violent attacks on GO bus drivers are rare, the TTC, on the other hand, said its operators report one or two incidents of assault every day.“When it comes to fare disputes, operators are trained not to engage with customers,” said TTC spokesperson, Stuart Green.WATCH: (Jan. 16, 2019) Metrolinx CEO reflects on challenges ahead
“They can advise customers of proper fares that are due, but we don’t want our operators engaging in disputes or holding up service. If they suspect evasion, they can advise our Transit Control Centre and if it escalates, they can call in for emergency assistance.”
Sealy said he’s trying to move on from his harrowing incident, but his injuries are still plaguing him and he’s unsure when he’ll be able to return to work.
He said he’s also forgiven the man that left him injured.
“You forgive people for certain things,” Sealy said, “but you don’t forget.”
Meanwhile, 24-year-old Rocco Vietri is facing three charges related to the incident, including assault causing bodily harm and failing to comply with his probation.
Police have opposed his bail and he remains in custody.
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