Man in wheelchair speaks out after MTA bus driver leaves him toppled in Brooklyn street
GREENPOINT, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A man using a wheelchair was left toppled over and lying in the street after he attempted to board an MTA bus over the weekend.
William Romero was trying to board a B24 bus in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The bus was forced to pull up, away from the curb, due to a truck that was parked on the side of the road.
As Romero tried to gently move his wheelchair down the curb so he could reach the bus, he suddenly fell forward and out of his chair, which was now lying on its side.
"I'm not a pigeon or a dog you just leave on the floor," said William Romero, who is a daily MTA bus rider.
Romero was not seriously injured.
"It's his responsibility because he's supposed to take me up on the bus and lock me inside. Sometimes this is the job for the driver," he said.
William had both legs amputated 10 years ago after a number of health issues. He's currently living in a nearby shelter with no means of transportation.
He requires dialysis treatments at Elmhurst Hospital three days a week. His only way of getting there is by taking the B24 bus.
"It's natural for any person. A person in my condition how do you leave them on the floor?" Romero said.
A man sitting inside the truck jumped out of the vehicle and pounded on the side of the bus in disbelief as it pulled away and left Romero in the road.
The man helped Romero back up and into his wheelchair.
MTA Spokesperson Amanda Valdes said in a statement, "This was an unfortunate situation for a customer who would have been able to safely board the bus had a truck not been illegally parked, blocking the bus stop. We are thankful he was not seriously injured. Newly expanded bus camera enforcement will be ticketing vehicles blocking bus stops with fines up to $250 for repeat offenders to make it safer for passengers to board and get off. This entire incident is under review by NYC Transit management."
Although the driver of the white truck did help Romero get back into his chair, Romero believes he too is to blame.
"The truck is not supposed to park here too because this is for handicap people," he said.
The MTA added that the bus operator is being withheld from service pending disciplinary action.
Romero told Eyewitness News he doesn't want the bus driver to lose his job or be suspended, but rather learn from this experience and next time treat him like a human.
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