ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A man with a 30-page criminal record was arrested after randomly attacking a Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority driver on Tuesday in downtown St. Petersburg, police said during a news conference Friday morning.
Obdulio Chacon, 46, was arrested in Largo on Wednesday after being caught on camera attacking PSTA driver Ramgy Dominguez who was coming back onto his trolley after a break, St. Pete Police Chief Anthony Holloway said.
Dominguez had left the bus doors open so waiting passengers could get out of the heat and into the air conditioning.
The chief said the "unprovoked attack" happened near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Bayshore Drive when Chacon entered the parked bus and sat in the back while Dominguez was on his break. After a few moments, the chief said Chacon moved to sit closer to the entrance of the trolley.
Holloway said as Dominguez entered back onto the bus, Chacon "brutally attacked" him right in the doorway without even saying a word. After the attack, Chacon got off the bus and walked away.
The entire incident was caught on the trolley's camera, which allowed law enforcement and PSTA to capture an image of Chacon. PSTA buses are equipped with safety and security equipment following a deadly stabbing attack on a Tampa bus driver in 2019.
Detectives were quickly able to identify Chacon and within hours PSTA had distributed his photo to its other bus drivers. Not even 24 hours later, a bus driver in Largo noticed that Chacon was on his bus and called the police, which led to his arrest.
Chacon was booked into the Pinellas County jail on a charge of aggravated battery and is being held on a $10,000 bond.
Chief Holloway said Chacon had an extensive criminal history with more than 30 pages that range from aggravated assault to aggravated battery of a pregnant woman.
"Mr. Chacon should be off the streets and thanks to PSTA, Largo Police Department and the great work of our detective. He is now off the street. He should not be on the street," said Chief Holloway.
Passengers we spoke with say they’re relieved to hear an arrest had been made so quickly.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, or what he said to you,” said Debra, who rides the bus regularly. “There’s no reason to act that way.”
Drivers were also grateful. It’s a reminder, they say, of just how dangerous their job can be.
“We’re always looking,” said driver Darlene Brown. “You have to be aware of your surroundings.”
PSTA says it's willing to review its safety policies when it comes to drivers taking breaks and leaving the bus doors open, but when it comes to safety equipment, enclosures and cameras — they feel like they are doing everything they can.
It's impossible, they say, to protect and prevent all attacks, but the fact that Chacon was identified and arrested within 24 hours, they say, suggests the system is working.
Dominguez was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries but has since returned home where he continues to recover.
Watch the entire news conference from Friday below.