Brookfield Man Upset With Stopped Bus, Attacks Driver, Police Say

A 73-year-old Brookfield man is accused of assaulting a Milwaukee County Transit System bus driver after he became upset the bus was parked on Greenfield Avenue.

Hubert G. Smith was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court Monday with one felony count of battery to a public transit operator and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. If convicted, he faces up to 21 months in prison and $11,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

At 6:23 p.m. Nov. 21, the bus driver had parked his bus in the 127000 block of West Greenfield Avenue for a layover, when Smith pulled up behind in his car, then got out and came on the bus. Smith began yelling at the bus driver and asking why he didn’t have his lights flashing.

Smith then began punching the bus driver and grabbed the victim’s collar, causing a large scratch on his neck. The driver was eventually able to calm Smith down and get him off the bus before recording his license plate number and hitting his emergency alarm to contact the Brookfield Police Department.

Officers went to Smith’s home in the 1200 block of Edwards Street, where officers noticed he smelled of alcohol and he immediately began to debate the account set forth by the bus driver. He was placed in handcuffs and taken to the Brookfield Police Station.

Smith said he was upset the bus was parked without its lights flashing, and he said the driver grabbed him by the throat so he had a right to defend himself. Smith refused to submit to a blood alcohol test.

Smith was released on a $2,000 signature bond while awaiting trial.