Chicago Man Arrested After Violent Attack on Rockford Bus Driver

A bus driver in Rockford was viciously attacked last week, and after an investigation, Rockford PD was able to make an arrest.

Bus Driver Assaulted at Broadway and S. 5th Street

According to the Rockford PD press release, officers responded to reports of a brutal assault on Tuesday (7/8) at Broadway and S. 5th Street.

When officers arrived at the Rockford Mass Transit District (RMTD) around 4:32 pm, they discovered a 69-year-old bus driver with a severely swollen eye after allegedly being punched in the face.

Confrontation Caught on Bus Security Footage

While the victim was being rushed to a local hospital for treatment, security video from RMTD revealed that "the suspect, along with a female acquaintance, boarded the bus without paying.

According to the press release, when the bus driver confronted them, they refused to leave, and the situation escalated when the suspects allegedly spat on the driver.

The driver followed the pair off the bus, where the suspect delivered a violent punch to the face.

Suspect Identified and Arrested by Rockford Police

Rockford Police Violent Crime Detectives identified the suspect as 24-year-old John Davis of Chicago.

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Davis was later located inside a Rockford Housing Authority unit in the 1400 block of Meadow Court, where he allegedly had been living illegally.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Rockford Police at 815-966-2900 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.

After a brief attempt to flee, Davis was arrested and faces multiple felonies, including aggravated battery causing great bodily harm to a senior citizen and resisting arrest.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Rockford Police at 815-966-2900 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.

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