A University microbiologist faces assault and battery charges following an alleged violent outburst aboard a University Transit Service bus on Friday.
John Eugene Myers, a laboratory and research microbiologist in the Medical School's Center for Research in Reproduction became irate as he attempted to exit a UTS bus caught in traffic at the corner of Stadium Road and Emmet Street, according to Charlottesville Police Sgt. Stephen Upman.
After encountering traffic caused by a pedestrian accident, the bus driver refused to open the doors and allow passengers to exit the bus in the middle of the street. According to Upman, two students aboard the bus intervened as Myers began yelling at the driver.
"I am pleased to hear that students who are passengers made themselves helpful, and I am sorry if they were hurt in the process," said Shamin Sisson, senior association dean of students and chair of the Parking Advisory Committee.
Myers assaulted and attempted to choke the two students as they tried to prevent him from harming the UTS driver. Other passengers then flagged down officers responding to the accident that caused the traffic, according to police.
Myers next assaulted the police officer who arrived to intervene as he boarded the bus. He was taken into custody and charged with assault and battery of a police officer and two counts of assault and battery on the two students.
Upman confirmed that the officer did not sustain significant injuries.
"This is pretty random behavior," said Mark Fletcher, member of the Parking and Transportation Committee. "This is not something I am aware of having occurred in the past."
Sisson emphasized that UTS pays careful attention to safety policy and the training of drivers.
"UTS is very careful in its training of bus drivers and fully committed to the safety of its passengers, so I have every confidence of their ability to manage safely the many challenges that they have to meet every day," Sisson said.
Friday's incident stands as unusual in terms of UTS safety history.
"For the thousands of miles and thousands of hours that the buses ride, this is the exception and not the rule," Fletcher said. "The best show of that is the history."
Myers was taken to the Charlottesville County jail pending a bond hearing with a judge this week.
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