Passenger Charged
in Assault on MBTA Bus Driver
BOSTON, May 22,
2014—A passenger on an MBTA bus was arraigned this week on charges he attacked
the driver, even after she allowed him to ride for free, Suffolk County
District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
DONNELL FLATTES
(D.O.B. 6/5/90), who lists a Boston homeless shelter as his address, was
arraigned Monday in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of interfering with a
bus driver, indecent assault and battery, possession of a Class D substance
with intent to distribute, resisting arrest, and two counts each of assault and
battery on a public employee and making threats to commit a crime.
Assistant
District Attorney Marc Tohme requested bail be set in the amount of $7,500 with
orders that Flattes stay away and have no contact with the victim or witnesses,
stay away from all MBTA property, remain alcohol free, and be subject to random
urine screens in the event he is released on bail. Tohme also requested
that Flattes’ bail be revoked in an open 2013 case out of Boston Municipal
Court charging him with larceny from a building. Judge Thomas Kaplanes
declined to impose monetary bail but revoked the defendant’s open bail.
He also ordered Flattes to stay away and have no contact with the victim or
witnesses, stay away from the MBTA, refrain from consuming alcohol while the
case is pending, and attend alcohol or drug addiction support meetings.
According to
prosecutors, Flattes boarded a MBTA bus in the area of Talbot Avenue in Codman
Square shortly before 8:00 p.m. Sunday. He attempted to pay his fare with
paper bills, but the fare machine was out of order and the bus driver allowed
Flattes to ride the bus for free.
Donnell Flattes |
Though the bus
was nearly empty, Flattes allegedly chose to stand over the yellow line at the
front of the bus – a violation of posted safety rules. When asked to move
back behind the line, Flattes allegedly cursed at the driver and insisted that
he would stay where he stood until the bus arrived at its destination of
Ashmont station, prosecutors said. When asked a second time, Flattes responded
by throwing an alcoholic beverage from a cup he had in his hand onto the bus
driver’s face and shoulders, causing her to temporarily lose her vision and
abruptly stop the bus on Talbot Avenue, prosecutors said.
As the bus drive
waited at the location for a MBTA bus inspector, Flattes made a forceful
attempt to place his unpaid fare into the driver’s shirt pocket, indecently
assaulting her in the process, prosecutors said. Ignoring pleas from the
bus driver and a fellow passenger to leave the victim alone, Flattes reached
across the driver’s body in an attempt to shut the open bus doors, prosecutors
allege.
Officers from
the Boston and Transit police departments responded to the scene and placed
Flattes in custody. He violently resisted, knocking one officer to the
ground, tearing off his name plate and lacerating his forearm, and requiring
the officers to physically lift him into a patrol wagon for transport,
prosecutors said. Once inside, he allegedly made statements threatening
the officers.
Officers found
seven small bags containing marijuana in Flattes’ pants pockets and dozens of
similar, empty bags and a small scale in his backpack, prosecutors said.
Flattes is
represented by attorney Aditi Goel. He will return to court June 19.
The events listed above are allegations; All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The events listed above are allegations; All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.