A 23-year-old Wisconsin man, Anthony Miller, is accused of punching a 72-year-old bus driver in the face approximately 20 times. Allegedly, Miller claimed he was “having a bad day” and believed that the elderly man had taken his phone.
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As reported by Fox 6, citing a criminal complaint, the incident occurred on July 18 at the intersection of Teutonia and Floris in Milwaukee. Police officers had received a battery call and found the 72-year-old man being treated by ambulance personnel upon arrival.
According to the complaint, the elderly man said that around 10:20 a.m., a passenger had gotten off the MCTS bus. However, he later “forced his way back onto the bus” by pushing the door and began yelling at the driver, the complaint alleged. Police report that Miller was asking the driver “where his phone was.”
Later, things escalated to a physical altercation. Allegedly, Miller “forced himself past the security plexiglass” protecting the bus driver and began striking him in the face. With a closed fist, Miller is accused of punching the man “approximately 20 times.”
As a result, the 72-year-old suffered a 4-inch laceration on the forehead, needing four stitches. He also had swelling all over his face and head.
The driver told police that, following the alleged attack, Miller fled the scene on foot. By reviewing surveillance footage from the bus, police noticed that the suspect had a “large tattoo” in his left forearm which read, “Rashad,” and was surrounded by clouds. After searching the Milwaukee Police Department database, the suspect was identified as Anthony Miller.
“Having A Bad Day”
Almost a month later, on Wednesday, August 13, police interviewed Miller. Allegedly, Miller admitted to an “accident” on the bus. The complaint detailed that the 23-year-old was “having a bad day.” At the time, he was dealing with rent issues and his “car being stolen,” according to the document.
The complaint added that Miller, once he got off the bus, noticed his phone was missing. Allegedly, he believed the bus driver had it, so he got back on the bus and claimed that the elderly man “assaulted him.”
Therefore, “he assaulted the bus driver back,” although he couldn’t remember the number of times he struck him, the complaint alleged.
Anthony Miller is charged with battery of a public transit operator and physical abuse of an elderly person, intentionally causing bodily harm. His cash bond was set at $5,000, and his next preliminary hearing was scheduled for August 25.