Tomeka Barnes, a veteran bus driver for the City of Detroit, thought she might get an commendation for an incident with an irate passenger that resulted in a crash. But city officials say Barnes could have stopped the situation from escalating out of control.
The passenger who grabbed the wheel, Reva Robinson, has been charged with multiple felonies including Assault with Intent to Murder.
Barnes has been fired.
Fred Westbrook, President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, believes that while city officials may have been justified in disciplining Barnes, her actions did not warrant being terminated.
City officials say Barnes should have allowed Robinson to exit the bus when she rang the bell and made several verbal requests.
Barnes says Robinson was arguing and cussing at a man on the bus, making verbal threats to that passenger that she was going to have people come and assault both of them.
Barnes says she made a U-turn in an attempt to get to the nearest police precinct. And she says she refused to stop the bus to let the irate passenger off because she feared that Robinson might have actually notified her friends to follow the bus to assault her or the passengers.
City officials say Barnes could have called dispatch or hit a discreet panic alarm to alert them that immediate help was needed.
Barnes believes driving straight to the precinct was the quickest path to safety, but they crashed before arriving.
On the surveillance video, which can be seen below, Robinson is seen moving to the front of the bus, demanding to be let off the bus. Barnes continues to drive and Robinson soon appears to grab the wheel.
Both women can be seen struggling for control of the wheel.
Barnes says she tried to do what she could to avoid hitting people or cars before the bus crashed into a utility pole.
Robinson ran off after the crash. Passengers and other citizens were able to stop and hold her until police arrived.
