A bus driver who allegedly punched a high-school student during a dispute was released on NT$20,000 bail on Thursday.
The 41-year-old Taoyuan Bus Co driver, surnamed Liu (劉), is facing assault charges under the Criminal Code, prosecutors said.
The incident took place on Wednesday in Taoyuan’s Bade District (八德), when students, including one surnamed Huang, (黃) got on a special “student-only bus.”
Photo: screen grab from the Internet
Liu said that one student, who had inserted coins into the coin box, only paid NT$13, although the bus fare was NT$18.
The student said he had counted the money twice and was sure he put in NT$18.
The two began to argue and the student got off the bus, saying he would seek help from school officials.
Some stops later, Huang, who allegedly wanted to stand up for his fellow student, before getting off allegedly told the driver: “You cannot even count money. That is what your life is all about.”
The bus camera recording showed that Liu followed Huang onto the street, where the two eventually fought.
Liu allegedly punched Huang repeatedly until he bled from the mouth and nose, people who witnessed the incident said and video recordings suggested.
After receiving calls regarding the incident, police arrived at the scene, where Liu and Huang accused each other of assault.
Police said that they had examined the bus camera and found that Liu after the fare dispute, before Huang’s statement, had said, “usually, I do not talk to idiots,” adding that it was evidence Liu had a bad temper.
The bus company on Thursday convened a meeting over the incident, which was attended by a drivers’ union representative, during which company executives decided to dismiss Liu.
Liu did not attend the meeting.
A company official said the deputy chairman visited Huang at the hospital when he received treatment.
The case attracted much attention due to the rare instance of a bus driver getting up from his seat to fight a high-school student on the street in public.
People had posted the video online and it has circulated widely on social media.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
Fung-wong has been downgraded to a tropical storm from a typhoon as it approaches Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The storm has weakened, but would still pose a major threat to Taiwan and its surrounding waters as it comes closer, CWA forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) told reporters. As of 9am, the center of Tropical Storm Fung-wong was 360km southwest of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point, and moving north-northeast to northeast at 12kph. It was carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 108kph and gusts of 137kph, compared with 119kph and 155kph respectively recorded at about 7am
RSS