Good Samaritan, John Phelps, is being credited for helping to protect the victim and others from further harm during an attack in Tampa.
The incident occurred on November 19, 2019 at approximately 2:36 PM. James L. Ambrose, age 65 of Tampa, boarded HART Bus #1204 at N. 9th St. and E. Waters Ave.
The bus was on its normal route and accessible to the public. When Ambrose boarded the bus, he attempted to pay for his passage by placing the bus fare into the cash payment machine directly adjacent to where the bus driver was sitting.
A malfunction occurred with the cash payment machine and Ambrose became enraged.
Ambrose then attacked the victim, the HART bus driver, with a red box cutter and can of mace. The victim suffered great bodily harm to his leg, which resulted in profuse bleeding. The victim and passengers on the bus felt the effects of the mace.
A Good Samaritan, John Phelps, observed the attack from the rear of the bus. Phelps made his way past all the riders who were in disbelief of what was transpiring.
Phelps took a small foldable shopping cart to create a barrier and push back Ambrose as he was still actively attacking the victim with the box cutter.
Phelps continued to keep himself between the suspect and other riders remaining on the bus. Ambrose, at one point, lunged at Phelps with the box cutter before fleeing the scene.
Ambrose was ultimately apprehended at E. Juneau St. and N. Alaska St. It was discovered that while attacking the victim, Ambrose accidentally cut his own leg, causing severe bleeding.
When officers made contact with him, Ambrose spontaneously uttered, “I’m going to prison for 15 years for this.”
The victim required medical care to save his life, which included emergency surgery to repair the great bodily harm to his leg.
Witnesses were able to positively identify Ambrose as the person who stabbed and cut the victim, and deployed the mace chemical irritant.
He was arrested and charged with Aggravated Battery with Great Bodily Harm and Deadly Weapon. Ambrose is currently in the Orient Road Jail.
In was in May of this year that a HART bus driver was killed in a stabbing incident. See below for link to that story. Driver Stabbed to Death on HART bus in Hillsborough County
https://iontb.com/driver-stabbed-to-death-on-hart-bus-in-hillsborough-county/