A 20-year-old man allegedly assaulted a Sikh bus driver in Telford, England, forced him off the bus and then drove away in the vehicle. Police said the man drove the bus in the wrong direction and collided with several vehicles before he was stopped and arrested.
The incident took place on Friday evening on Court Street in the Medley area of Telford, in the West Midlands. According to police, the man had an argument with the bus driver before assaulting him and forcing him off the bus. He then drove away from the scene.
Police said the incident was preceded by an argument between the man and the bus driver. The reason for the dispute has not been disclosed.
As the argument escalated, the man allegedly assaulted the driver. Videos from the incident show the man involved in a physical altercation with the driver and repeatedly attempting to pull his beard.
After the assault, the man forced the driver off the bus and drove away. Police said he then travelled in the direction of Park Way and High Street.
After taking the bus, the man allegedly drove it in the wrong direction. Police said the bus collided with several other vehicles during the incident, causing disruption and confusion in the area.
Police later stopped the bus and arrested the 20-year-old man. Officers said there were no reports of any other person being injured in the incident.
The bus driver sustained minor injuries in the assault and was treated by paramedics at the scene.
Videos linked to the incident have circulated on social media. One video shows the man allegedly assaulting the bus driver, while another shows the physical altercation between the two.
Police have included the videos in their investigation. However, the footage circulating on social media does not establish the full reason for the dispute or how it began.
Police have appealed to members of the public who may have recordings related to the incident to share them with investigators.
West Mercia Police are investigating the incident and have appealed to people who were in the area at the time to assist with the inquiry.
Officers have asked anyone with relevant dashcam footage, CCTV recordings, mobile phone videos or doorbell camera footage to provide it to police.
Investigators said such recordings could help establish the sequence of events and provide further information about the man's movements.
Police are also investigating what caused the dispute between the man and the bus driver. No detailed information about the reason for the argument has been made public.
Police arrested a 20-year-old man in connection with the incident. Action has been taken against him on suspicion of robbery and dangerous driving. He remains in police custody.
The investigation is ongoing, with officers examining all aspects of the incident. Police have again appealed for anyone with relevant information or recordings to provide them to investigators.
According to police, the bus driver suffered minor injuries and was treated by paramedics at the scene. Despite the bus colliding with several vehicles, there were no reports of injuries to any other person.
Police are investigating how far and in what manner the bus was driven, as well as the extent of the damage caused by the collisions. Further action may follow after the investigation is completed.
The incident in Telford remains under investigation by police following the alleged assault on the bus driver and the subsequent taking and driving of the public vehicle.
The 20-year-old man remains in police custody while the allegations against him are investigated. Police said information from witnesses and recordings from CCTV, dashcams and mobile phones could be important to the inquiry.
Further official details about the cause of the dispute and how it began have yet to be released. The next stage of the legal process will become clearer after the police investigation.
