Chinese man who assaulted bus driver loses appeal against three-year prison sentence

Recent assaults on bus crews and 15 deaths in Chongqing caused by a passenger fighting with a driver put violence firmly in spotlight

Man who attacked driver at wheel of Sanya bus protested that his sentence was harsh and claimed his infraction was minor

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Surveillance cameras captured the moment a bus on Hainan Island swerved, throwing passengers from their seats, as a drunk man assaulted the driver over paying the fare. The case in January this year was brought to light after assaults on bus crews, including one in Chongqing that led to 15 deaths, made headlines. Photo: Weibo

Published: 6:34pm, 6 Nov 2018Updated: 7:26pm, 6 Nov 2018

A court in Sanya has upheld a three-year prison sentence for a 62-year-old man who kicked a bus driver during a dispute in the city on southern Hainan Island, Sanya Daily reported on Saturday.

The assault, which took place on January 25 this year, caused the bus to swerve and hit a roadside railing in the southern seaside resort city. None of the dozen passengers was hurt.

The man surnamed Zhang, originally from Heilongjiang province in northeast China, had got into an argument with the driver after he had problems paying the fare, the court heard.

According to surveillance camera footage on the bus, Zhang eventually sat down, then suddenly got up again and kicked the driver on the arm while the vehicle was moving. Several passengers fell to the floor as the bus swerved.

The first court hearing found that he had assaulted the bus driver, risking the safety of the bus and passengers. It is not clear when the first hearing took place.