PORT ANGELES — Steve Mandeville just wanted the guy to get off his bus.
When the passenger attacked the Clallam Transit driver, Josh Graham, who was waiting for another bus, helped him.
Graham was praised by Clallam Transit officials Monday for coming to Mandeville’s aid when the transit operator was assaulted by Joel K. Brown in the back of an out-of-service bus at The Gateway transit center in Port Angeles on Oct. 12.
The good Samaritan from Sequim received letters of commendation and a $1,000 check from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 in a ceremony at the Clallam Transit board meeting.
“I never expected anything, really, to come from this,” Graham said.
Mandeville, 61, had just completed his last run between Sequim and Port Angeles on the No. 30 commuter when he tried to rouse a sleeping Brown.
“He was little tipsy when he got on,” Mandeville recalled. “I woke him up and told him it was time to get off the bus. I did that a number of times.”
Mandeville, who has seen a video surveillance recording of the incident, said he asked Brown to leave the bus on 13 occasions.
“He didn’t feel that he needed to get off the bus,” Mandeville said.
As he continued to ask Brown to leave, Mandeville conducted a routine check of the rows. He was near the back of the bus when Brown suddenly rose and advanced, trapping Mandeville in the aisle.
“First he charges me, and I pushed him back,” Mandeville said Friday. “He took a punch. It kind of bounced off my chest. Then we got into a wrestling match in the back of the bus.”
Graham, who was waiting for another bus on the far side of transit center, noticed the scuffle and intervened.
Mandeville had alerted a Clallam Transit dispatcher about the situation but didn’t know how long it would take for police to arrive.
About six minutes into the fight, Graham ran onto the bus and dragged Brown off by his belt buckle.
“I was able to catch my breath,” said Mandeville, who had managed to put Brown into a headlock but was still trapped by his assailant.
Moments later, Port Angeles Police Officer Dallas Maynard arrested Brown for investigation of third-degree assault.
“It was an incredibly brave thing that [Graham] did,” Maynard said at the Clallam Transit meeting. “I wasn’t nearly as surprised of his bravery when I found out that he served in the military and in Iraq. I was very proud of him.”
Graham served in the Navy. Mandeville served in the Army.
“This isn’t the first time the Navy has come to assist the Army,” Mandeville quipped at the meeting.
Brown, 51, was charged Oct. 14 with third-degree assault of a transit operator, a Class C felony.
He pleaded guilty Thursday and was sentenced to four months in jail with 30 days converted to 240 hours of community service work and a year of community custody, court papers said.
Clallam Transit General Manager Wendy Clark-Getzin and Operations Manager Clint Wetzel presented Graham with a citizen’s assistance award at the meeting.
Mandeville also received a memorandum of commendation.
“We’re here to give high commendation to not only the bus driver involved but a citizen that helped us out of a serious situation,” Clark-Getzin said.
Wetzel’s letter of commendation to Mandeville read in part: “Successfully dealing with an angry, intoxicated passenger who is attempting physical harm is no easy task.
“You attempted to verbally defuse the situation even when the passenger was physically assaulting you,” the letter continued. “You were amazing on how you kept your composure and remained professional throughout this ordeal.”
Mandeville has been a Clallam Transit operator for the past 11 years. He drove a school bus for 11 years prior to that.
While he has encountered his share of unruly passengers, Mandeville said he had never been assaulted prior to last month.
“Every time, I’ve been able to handle it with words,” he said.
Bob Eash, a union representative who sits on the Clallam Transit board as a nonvoting member, presented Graham with a $1,000 check and a proclamation on behalf of ATU 587.
“ATU is grateful for your heroics in aiding our driver,” it read. “We have an award fund to thank those who help our drivers if they are assaulted. This is a rare occurrence on the Peninsula.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
