A crazed MTA bus operator assigned to a Long Island route assaulted his supervisor and fled from his coach after he was confronted about using a cellphone while driving today, officials said.
Enraged wheelman John Miller, 37, allegedly grabbed MTA superintendent Joseph Merwin by the throat, threw him up against the windshield and shattered a window on Sunrise Highway at Yorktown Street.
“He began punching the bus, and then punching the inspector,” said Rockville Centre Police Chief Charles Gennario.
Miller was en route to his first stop at 12:45 p.m., and didn’t have any passengers.
He was charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief, and the MTA fired him.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy on cellphone use and we will certainly not tolerate any violence against our employees,” said MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin.
Miller was only on the job for five months and was already on extended probation.