Thursday, March 12, 2015

Suffolk County DA's Office Press Release :MBTA

                               PRESS RELEASE FROM SUFFOLK COUNTY DA's OFFICE
Warrant Issues for Man Who Allegedly Spat on Bus Driver;

Driver Charged with Beating Him

 

BOSTON, March 12, 2015—A Roxbury man who allegedly spat on an MBTA bus driver defaulted at his arraignment today, while the driver was arraigned for allegedly beating him in the head with a wooden block in retaliation, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

TERRI FELIX, 40, of Brockton was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court this morning on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon – a chock block, a wooden block with a looped handle used as a tire stop.  She was released on her own recognizance.

HOMER HENDERSON, Jr., 52, of Roxbury was expected to be arraigned in the same court on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for spitting on Felix during the same Dec. 20 incident in which Felix is charged with beating him. Henderson failed to appear in court and a warrant issued for his arrest.

Assistant District Attorney Eric Anderson told the court that Henderson was a passenger on a Route 1 bus driven by Felix on the date of the incident.  Surveillance images on the bus show Henderson apparently fall asleep on board the bus and later wake.  He can be seen walking to the front of the bus and engaging Felix in conversation.  The conversation soon escalated to an argument, which was captured on cell phone camera by another passenger.  

After the bus stopped in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Washington Street, Henderson allegedly spat on Felix before exiting.  Prosecutors said Felix retrieved a wooden chock block from a storage compartment and followed Henderson, continuing to argue with him outside the bus.  Footage from a passenger’s cell phone camera allegedly shows her following Henderson down Washington Street and striking him in the head with the block, knocking him to the ground, before returning to the bus and calling MBTA Transit Police.

Henderson was treated at Boston Medical Center for injuries sustained in the assault. In an interview with Transit Police, he stated that he’d sustained a laceration to his mouth, a broken bone in his cheek, and other injuries.

Felix told the court that she will retain her own attorney. She will return to court May 21.

 

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.