Two males sent to jail for assaulting TTC operators

Two men have received jail sentences for assaults on two TTC operators.

In March 2011, a male boarded a Don Mills bus and threatened to shoot the bus operator and the customers on board unless the operator allowed the suspect to ride for free.  He ordered the operator to move the bus immediately. The operator managed to notify Transit Control, and the suspect was arrested by Toronto Police Service’s 54 Division. The attack was captured by CCTV cameras on board the bus.

On November 7, Ozzie Cole, 37, pleaded guilty to assault, threatening death and breaching his probation. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and 18 months probation.

In August of this year, a suspect attacked a subway operator after being told not to walk through the inter-car doors on the train.  The operator was kicked in the knee, and struck his head between the subway cab door at the frame.  The suspect fled and smashed the collector booth window in the station. He was arrested by Toronto Police Services 22 Division with the assistance of witnesses from the subway who had followed Aransibia up to the street. The operator is now permanently disabled and is no longer able to drive TTC vehicles.

On November 13, Sover Aransibia, 27, plead guilty to a charge of assault and mischief and sentenced to six months in jail and two years probation.

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 to secure the stiffest penalties possible for those convicted of assaulting TTC employees, and continue to seek limits on the use of public transit in Toronto for those convicted of these crimes.