UPDATE: Kamloops bus driver sent to hospital after assaulted by passenger

KAMLOOPS – A B.C. Transit bus driver was assaulted yesterday afternoon after being confronted by an irate passenger.

B.C. Transit spokesperson Mike Russell, says an individual on the bus became agitated around 3 p.m. yesterday, Oct. 27. The driver pulled the bus over at Fourth Avenue and Lansdowne Street and called the transit operator for assistance.

While the driver was waiting for the operator, he was punched in the head by the suspect who immediately fled the scene.

The driver was sent to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and released later that evening.

The punch came following a verbal exchange about ticketing, Cpl. Cheryl Bush of Kamloops RCMP says in a release. She notes the incident occurred while passengers were boarding the bus and was witnessed by others on the bus.

The suspect is described as a 20- to 30-year-old Caucasian male, about 6' tall with broad shoulders and light brown hair. He was wearing a dark green jacket, camo pants and a white toque at the time.

RCMP are still investigating and anyone with more information is asked to call Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 2:17 p.m., Oct. 28, 2015, to include additional details from RCMP.