Transit Police: MBTA driver slaps pregnant woman on Green Line

A Green Line trolley driver has yet to face punishment after she allegedly slapped a pregnant woman who allegedly spat in her face during a heated confrontation over fare, according to a Transit Police spokesman

The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday as the trolley passed through Brighton.

Transit Police spokesman Richard Sullivan said the offending passenger boarded the trolley with an expired pass and was having some difficulty with the fare machine.

“She decided she was going to walk in and take a seat,” said Sullivan.

The trolley operator, who was not named, insisted that the woman, who was also not named, pay the fare. That’s when the passenger allegedly spit in the operator’s face, according to Sullivan.

“It was a completedly inappropriate response, in my opinion,” Sullivan said of the spitting. “She spit in her mouth. [Operators] have a tough job. I really don’t think it’s too much to ask someone to pay their fare.”

When asked about the operator’s alleged slapping of the passenger, Sullivan said he did not condone the behavior.

“It’s an unfortunate circumstance. They have a tough job. I don’t know how you would react if someone spit in your face and it got in your mouth,” he said. “It’s easy for someone to sit back and say, ‘I would’ve done this or that,’ but until someone spits in your face, you don’t konw how you’ll react.”

MBTA Spokesman Joe Pesaturo said Green Line managers will determine what level of disciplinary action is warranted against the driver once after they have gathered all the facts in the matter.