New AZ law makes it a felony to attack bus drivers, airport workers, rail employees | News

TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) — A new Arizona law makes it a felony if anyone attacks a public transit employee that includes bus drivers, airport workers and even rail employees.

One union in Tucson who represents these type of workers say attacks on their employees have happened way too many times without any real punishment to the suspects.

Teamsters Local 104 represents more than 300 public transit operators in Tucson.

They say their members have been attacked at least once a month over the past six months.

“Someone was attacked with a fire extinguisher. People get spit on,” said Mike Sanchez, a business agent for Teamsters Local 104.

“I got punched in the face,” said Barbara Franco, a bus driver for Sun Tran.

Transit workers say they’re fed up.

They say these are just some of the stories bus drivers in Tucson have experienced while working on the job.

Barbara Franco has worked for Sun Tran for nearly 25 years .

“I was tying down a wheelchair this was last year and I asked someone to wait until I could finish what I was doing, getting the wheelchair secured and he didn’t like it,” Franco said.

And that’s when Franco says she got punched.

“Dazed really badly and sprained my neck, shoulder from it. Unfortunately they didn’t get him,” Franco said.

Even if Tucson police caught the perp for attacking Barbara back then – Teamsters Local 104 business agent Mike Sanchez says they would not have faced any serious consequences.

“They could either get a ticket you know the person can go back on the bus later that day which is completely unreasonable,” Sanchez said.

Which made it awkward sometimes for the bus driver.

“It’s scary when that happens because you don’t know if something would happen again,” Franco said.

Now that’s changed.

A new law green lit by Gov. Katie Hobbs last week – allows Arizona prosecutors to charge anyone who attacks bus drivers, train employees and airport workers with a felony.

It’s a relief for Barbara Franco because she says other than the partition inside her bus she is not allowed to carry pepper spray.

“So happy that this passed. We’re not allowed to carry pepper spray because of the ventilation system,” Franco said.

“They service the community and the last thing that we want them to do is worry about getting assaulted,” Sanchez said.

Teamsters Local 104 tells News 4 Tucson they have been working for the past six months to get this bill passed, they credit Representative Consuelo Hernandez for sponsoring this bill.

News 4 Tucson also reached out to the Tucson International Airport, which provided this statement:

“Any increased protection of this nature for an airport worker is a positive. We have  zero tolerance for any aggressive or unsafe behavior. The safety and wellbeing of our employees and passengers is of the utmost importance to the Tucson International Airport.

 Airport workers are already well protected under the law, and another tool in the deterrence of such activity against all transportation workers is good for their safety.”

News 4 Tucson also reached out to Sun Tran for comment about this new law and we have not heard back.