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Exclusive: Woman Recalls Being Held At Knifepoint By Passenger While Driving MTA Bus

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It was a terrifying ride for passengers and the driver of an MTA bus. A man armed with a knife tried to hold up customers, and demanded their money.

"It looks hard, like he had been through a lot. Rough, a little beat up," Diana Belgrave said.

Speaking exclusively with CBS2's Jessica Layton, Belgrave said she'll never forget the look of the man she claims held a knife inches from her face while she was driving an MTA bus down 5th Ave on Tuesday morning.

"He boarded the bus at 110th and Fifth Avenue, didn't pay his fare," she said.

Since he appeared to be homeless and it was cold outside, the 32-year-old mother agreed to give him a ride to midtown. She said he started approaching customers asking for money. Then he got to her.

"And then he said, 'no I'm serious, I want your money,' I said, 'I don't have no money,' then out came the knife right here," she said. "I said, 'sir get off the bus."

Thankfully, he listened. Turns out the man police picked up for the crime lives at a homeless shelter. Another homeless person caused a disturbance at the Port Authority, causing a chaotic scene.

Still -- the commissioner of the NYPD defended the city's outreach programs.

"They go out every night, and they do canvases, they do surveys," NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said.

Police officials said they were working to get the homeless off the streets.

"In the month of December alone we've made 2,118 contacts with people. We've had 146 moved to shelters voluntarily.

Belgrave sympathizes with someone in a homeless situation, but said it's not an excuse for what he did.

"You can beg for money, but you can't come and rob somebody on a bus," she said.

Police arrested 52-year-old Daryle McClam, he was in court to be arraigned on Wednesday night. Belgrave said she forgives him and that she will pray for him.

 

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