Philly man pleads guilty to attack on SEPTA driver
MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty Monday to charges of simple assault and possessing an instrument of crime for a March altercation with a SEPTA bus driver.
Kevin White, 48, of the 1300 block of South 46th Street, was sentenced to time served to 23 months with one year of consecutive probation for the March 21 assault outside the 69th Street SEPTA terminal, under the negotiated plea from Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Riley and defense attorney Jeff Bauer. Attorney Vince Martini stood in for Bauer at Monday’s plea hearing before Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge James Nilon.
White boarded the bus in Philadelphia in the early morning hours of March 21. At some point during the ride, the driver asked him to exit the vehicle, but White refused, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
White began photographing the driver with his cell phone. When the driver pushed the phone away, White punched the driver and hit him with a pole, which Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood described as something similar to an extension for a paint roller.
SEPTA Police Officer Edward Bongard received a report of the incident at about 2:20 a.m. Bongard saw White walking with the pole and ordered him to the ground at Taser-point before placing him under arrest.
White was release from prison April 3 on $15,000 unsecured bail, according to electronic court records. He was ordered to pay $445 in restitution and stay away from the victim.
White was also ordered to perform 40 hours of community service, and comply with the recommendations from a drug and alcohol evaluation. Riley did not object to transferring probation supervision to Philadelphia.