BEND, Ore. (AP) — A fired bus driver in Oregon accused of choking a Black passenger to unconsciousness because the man was not wearing shoes has been found guilty of strangulation and assault. The Bulletin reports a Deschutes County jury on Wednesday found Michael Brinster guilty of choking and assaulting Dorian Allstot and not guilty of menacing. The six-person jury returned the verdict after about four hours of deliberation over the 2020 incident that was caught by bus surveillance footage. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel says Brinster, who is white, contended he was defending himself against Allstot, who is Black. The jury decided Brinster was not justified in the level of force he used against Allstot.
Bus driver found guilty of assault after choking passenger
