WRTA bus driver stabbed; Worcester police hunt for city man in Lincoln Plaza attack
WORCESTER — Investigators Thursday were looking for a 28-year-old city man in connection with the stabbing of a bus driver for the Worcester Regional Transit Authority near Lincoln Plaza.
Police are asking the public for tips in the search for Dashaun Stokes-Sims, wanted in the assault of the driver Wednesday afternoon.
Police shared a security camera photo of a man who they say is Stokes-Sims. He is seen exiting the Target at Lincoln Plaza.
The male WRTA driver suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, according to police Lt. Sean Murtha. The motive for the attack was not immediately known, Murtha said.
WRTA Administrator Dennis J. Lipka said that the driver sustained upper-body injuries from the attack and was released from the hospital on Thursday to recover at home. A driver protection shield helped to slightly blunt the attack and the assault happened quickly, Lipka said.
About 2:40 p.m., the bus was at Country Club Boulevard and Lincoln Street, near Denny's restaurant, when a man entered the bus and attacked the driver, according to Murtha.
The assailant fled the bus and ran toward the plaza. An extensive search of the area followed, with city and state police looking in and around the many stores in the plaza.
Lipka said that the assailant was not a passenger on the bus at the time of the attack. The assailant is believed to have entered the bus when it stopped, and Lipka said no shouting or arguing before the attack was heard on audio that was obtained from the bus.
Police tape was put up near the bus.
Officers were seen talking with customers at Stop & Shop and Target.
The attack is seen as an isolated incident with no connection to transportation issues, Lipka said.
In order to ensure the security of the passengers Thursday, a safety officer was placed on the bus going on the route where the assault took place, Lipka said. He added that the WRTA staff does not normally experience this level of violence on itvehicles
"We're looking at this as an unfortunate incident that just happened to occur on one of our vehicles," Lipka said.
Before being brought to a hospital, the driver sat on a curb outside the bus while being treated by medical crews.
Return to telegram.com for more on this story.
Download the telegram.com: Local news
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester police set up crime scene near WRTA bus in area of Lincoln Plaza
