NYC Bus Driver Choked Passenger, But Passenger Was Arrested - Video Shows the Truth

Bus Driver Choked Passenger, But Passenger Was Arrested - Video Shows the Truth

A Brooklyn man claims a bus driver choked him in a caught-on-video attack, but he was the one who ended up arrested and facing career fallout.

Malachi Houston, 27, says he was wrongfully charged with attempted murder for a fight with driver Isaac Egharevba, 60, on a B99 bus in East New York. After a manhunt launched by police and surveillance photos of him were released, Houston lost his job and has struggled to find new employment.

Houston filed two notices of claim against the city, the MTA, and the NYPD, seeking $30 million in damages for the alleged attack, wrongful arrest, and damage to his reputation.

Video evidence appears to show Houston briefly leaning into the driver's seat area before Egharevba bursts from behind his door, slams the door on Houston, puts his hand on Houston's neck, and pins him against the railing.

The same day, police and Egharevba's union claimed the driver was stabbed during the altercation. TWU Local 100, the union representing Egharevba, said he was “violently attacked” and “sliced on the left side of his face.”

Houston says he acted in self-defense and the driver's injury may have come from a bottle he was holding that broke during the scuffle.

He claims the driver became enraged when the bus was taking an unexplained detour, prompting Houston to ask him to stop the bus. He claims the driver “started screaming” at another passenger and “got upset and started choking him.”

After a grand jury declined to indict Houston, he was released from Rikers Island after five days, but the incident has left him fearful of taking the bus.

Egharevba denies Houston's claims and maintains that Houston attacked him. The MTA says the incident is under review and that Egharevba remains employed as a bus driver. The city Law Department and the NYPD declined to comment.

Houston's lawyer believes the video totally vindicates his client, who was simply defending himself.

This incident raises serious concerns about the safety of passengers on public transit and highlights the need for a thorough investigation into the events that transpired on the B99 bus.