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Medford man charged with assaulting MBTA bus driver

A 32-year-old Medford man was ordered held on $300 cash bail for assaulting an MBTA bus driver last month, an attack that caused the bus to crash into three cars, prosecutors said.

Douglas Bergeron had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf Thursday in Chelsea District Court. Bergeron will return to court Dec. 20 for a pretrial hearing, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office said. Bergeron has a total of four separate cases pending against him.

Bergeron was riding a Route 117 bus in Chelsea from Wonderland to Maverick Oct. 13 with a female companion, whose name was not released. Bergeron's Charlie Card did not have enough money for both of them, and the bus driver allowed the two to ride for only one fare, prosecutors said in a statement.

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Still, Bergeron became angry and violent and began shouting in the driver's face. Bergeron then struck the driver in the face, causing him to lose control of the bus, prosecutors said.

The driver suffered facial contusions, a fractured finger, and a sprained wrist, prosecutors said.

The MBTA posted video footage of the incident Oct. 15. Through the public's help, Transit Police were able to identify Bergeron and obtain a warrant for his arrest within 24 hours. Before he could be arrested on that charge, however, Bergeron was arrested by Malden police Oct. 21 for breaking and entering.

The arraignment in the T bus attack was delayed to Thursday so that Bergeron could be arraigned first in Malden, authorities said.

Bergeron also faces charges in Chelsea and in Boston Municipal Court. He has previously been convicted of a variety of charges, including operating under the influence, larceny over $250, and drug offenses.


Melissa Hanson can be reached at melissa.hanson@globe.com or on Twitter @Melissa__Hanson