Man charged after chemical sprayed in bus driver’s face, NSW

A man has been charged after a bus driver was sprayed in the face with a chemical at Surry Hills last week.

About 10.35pm on Thursday 27 December 2018, a 50-year-old man attempted to board a State Transit Authority (STA) bus after it stopped between Flinders and Crown streets, Surry Hills.

As the bus was at capacity, the driver told the man he could not get on.

Police have been told the man began to abuse the driver, before allegedly spraying the driver in the face with a chemical, which is now believed to be a mouth spray.

Passengers called Triple Zero (000) and the man left the scene.

The driver, a 41-year-old man from Hillsdale, was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics after he began having trouble breathing, however did not require further treatment.

Officers from Surry Hills Police Area Command attended the scene and commenced an investigation.

Following inquiries, about 11.35am today (Monday 31 December 2018), police arrested a 50-year-old man at a home on Bucknell Street, Newtown.

He was taken to Newtown Police Station where he was charged with common assault, and granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 22 January 2019.

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