Kingston Police: Enraged cyclist caused disturbance, delayed transit
A Kingston Transit bus was delayed by a local cyclist who pulled in front of the bus while yelling, screaming, and hitting the front window on Sunday, Jun. 23, 2019.
At approximately 2:45 p.m. the accused man was observed by a Kingston Transit bus driver near the intersection of Brock Street and Alfred Street in downtown Kingston. The bus driver saw accused man riding a bicycle and attempting to flag her down as she merged back into traffic after completing one of her scheduled stops on Brock Street. The bus driver did not stop for the accused as it was unsafe to do so after merging back into traffic.
Continuing along her route to Bath Road and Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard, the bus driver observed the accused approaching from the rear of the bus. The accused pulled in front of the bus as she waited at a red light at the intersection. He then got off of his bicycle and removed a child from the rear bicycle seat, placing the child down on the roadway. The accused proceeded to block the bus with his bicycle, preventing the bus from moving.
The accused man then approached the front of the bus and began yelling, screaming, and hitting the front window. The accused also began taking pictures of the bus driver. Passengers on the bus became concerned in regards to the disturbance, as well as the welfare of the child who had been left in traffic.
The Kingston Transit bus was delayed for several minutes while the accused caused the disturbance. He eventually placed the child back in the bicycle seat and departed westbound on Bath Road after failing to stop for a red light at the intersection of Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard. The accused stopped and delayed the bus for a second time further west on Bath Road. The delays affected numerous Kingston Transit passengers, routes, and transfers.
Police were notified about the incident on Monday, June 24, 2019. Further investigation revealed the identity of the accused, who police then contacted. The accused initially refused to meet with police, but attended police headquarters on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, where he was subsequently arrested. He was later released on conditions with a future court date.
The 50-year-old local man was charged with causing a disturbance and obstruction of the lawful use of property under $5,000.
Should have also been charged with child endangerment. Placing a child in front of a motor vehicle no matter what size in order to stop it, should be classified as a unsafe act.
Do you think that he might have been mad at the bus driver, for let’ s say almost running him and his child over, prior to him stopping the bus? City bus drivers have their own rules for the road and nothing stops them from doing what they feel. I know that they have pulled out and across three lanes of traffic in front of me on several different occasions with no care what-so-=ever. And that I have been threaten in the past by a driver for not stopping as I was driving in the through lane while he was parked on the shoulder of the street. They think just because they have a sign on the back of the bus that the whole world must stop and yield to them, wrong.
In Ontario, you yield.
https://www.ontariohighwaytrafficact.com/part-rules-the-road/requirement-yield-bus-from-bus-bay-section-142-t78.html
I don’t understand why “DUTY TO REPORT” wasn’t followed? It seems to me that the operator of the bus, each passenger and every other human who witnessed this child being exposed to any part of this incident need to be reminded that it “takes a village to raise a child”; each and everyone of them has a duty to report when they know a child is at risk of neglect, emotional or physical harm. I am so disheartened that the focus has been on the transit delay rather than the welfare of the child.
I think the newsworthy part of this story was that it was Councillor Peter Stroud — it’s unfortunate the Kingstonist failed to mention this. This isn’t the first time Mr. shuffled off in a huff and puff fit —- does anyone remember how he huffed and puffed during a debate a year ago?
Hi Tom,
We reported this as a police brief. The police do not provide the identity of those involved in cases unless there is a risk to public safety (ex: a sex offender being released in the area, or someone being arrest whom police believe to have a history of offences where they’re looking for other victims to come forward).
We are working on a follow up to this story, and will publish it as soon as possible.