Bus driver hospitalised after ‘utterly appalling’ attack over a face mask
A bus driver has spent the night in hospital after he was kicked and punched repeatedly by a passenger who didn’t want to put on a face mask.
The interstate V/Line bus driver was assaulted by a passenger at Kerang at about 9.30am yesterday.
The 54-year-old was allegedly punched and kicked repeatedly while he was seated.
He sustained lacerations in the attack and spent last night at Echuca Hospital.
Kerang Senior Sergeant Michael Kearnes says “the circumstances of the issue included the passenger being asked to put a mask on at some point … he removed the mask again and was again then asked to please put it back on”.
“It’s utterly appalling, to say the least,” he told Neil Mitchell.
“That a person goes to work and gets assaulted in their workplace in this manner is disgusting.”
The man who allegedly assaulted the driver fled the bus on foot on Boundary Road in Kerang.
He is perceived to be aged in his 20s, 176cm tall and was wearing a black t-shirt and beige shorts at the time.
Senior Sergeant Kearnes says he’s “confident of a resolution in relation to this matter”.
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