A routine break for a COTA bus driver turned violent, and now a 19-year-old Columbus man is facing a felonious assault charge in connection with the 2025 attack, according to court records.
Authorities say the driver was on a break outside her bus last September when she was struck from behind and suffered a laceration to the back of her head. Police arrested Ace Cabrera this week and charged him with felonious assault. He is scheduled to appear in Franklin County court on March 13, 2026, as the case raises familiar worries about how safe it really is to work behind the wheel of a city bus.
As reported by WBNS, bus surveillance video from the Sept. 16, 2025 incident shows the driver seated outside the vehicle on a break when someone comes up from behind and attacks her. The affidavit says the assailant ran off into a nearby apartment complex. Detectives later executed a search warrant at a residence on Oct. 23 and say they recovered two cellphones along with clothing that appeared to match what the attacker wore in the footage.
Investigators point to video and phone evidence
Court documents describe how detectives pieced together the case using both the bus camera and data pulled from the seized phones. Investigators say images from the phone lined up with the surveillance footage, right down to specific details such as the length of Cabrera’s fingernails. Officers also allege that shoes and pants taken during the search matched what the suspect had on in the video. That combination of images and physical evidence formed the backbone of the felonious assault charge filed in Franklin County court.
Court date and next steps
Cabrera is charged with felonious assault and is set for a Franklin County court appearance on March 13, 2026, according to court documents. The affidavit behind the arrest leans heavily on bus-camera footage and items gathered during the Oct. 23 search warrant. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to dig into how that evidence was collected and connected as the case moves ahead.
Transit safety and local context
The arrest lands amid broader worries about violence on COTA routes, with recent local attention on assaults targeting both riders and drivers. Earlier this summer, coverage highlighted police pleas for help after a string of on-bus attacks. teens suspected in multiple on-bus attacks were the focus of a call for tips from Columbus police. Advocates for transit workers argue that clear surveillance footage and fast evidence collection can make all the difference when it comes to tracking down suspects.
Felonious assault is a serious felony in Ohio and can carry significant prison time if a defendant is convicted. In cases that lean on surveillance and electronic data, defense attorneys commonly probe how suspects were identified and whether the chain of custody was airtight, which sets up the upcoming hearing as a crucial test of the state’s case.
Anyone with information related to the attack is urged to contact the Columbus Division of Police or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted through the department’s phone line or online portal.
