Three sentenced to jail for assaults on TTC employees

On Friday, August 17, three persons were found guilty in separate incidents and sentenced to jail for assaulting or threatening Toronto Transit Commission employees. Each also faces various prohibitions from using the TTC.

At 10 p.m., on July 5 at Union Station, a man attempted to enter the station without paying the appropriate fare.  When a TTC supervisor stopped the man, he struck the supervisor with a bicycle. He then assaulted the station collector who was coming to the aid of the supervisor. A police officer, on scene for another matter, was also assaulted and a police cruiser damaged. 

Christopher Bisson, aged 32, pleaded guilty to numerous charges and was sentenced to a total of 110 days in jail, and probation for two years, including a ban from using the subway for that period and to not be on any TTC vehicles or premises with alcohol in his system.

Also on August 17, Ahmed Muhiyadinali, aged 50, pleaded guilty in court and was sentenced to 10 days in jail for threatening to kill a bus operator in the early hours of August 14 over refusal to pay a fare in the Junction area of the city.

And also on August 17, Ulises Cruz, aged 19, pleaded guilty to assaulting a bus operator.  At 3:20 a.m. on March 10, Cruz attempted to board a bus on Wilson Ave. without paying a fare. During the dispute he punched the bus operator in the face. Cruz fled the bus, but was arrested by Toronto Police Service a short time later. He spent two days in jail and received one years’ probation, 75 hours community service, and is not permitted on the TTC between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., in addition to not having alcohol in his system while on TTC premises.

On average, two TTC employees are assaulted every day, ranging from punching, slapping and spitting, to threats of physical harm or death. The TTC’s Court Advocates work with Crown Attorneys and the Courts to secure the stiffest penalties possible for those convicted of assault on TTC employees, and continue to seek limits on the use of public transit in Toronto for those convicted of these crimes.