TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Police Department is investigating an aggravated battery on a HART bus Tuesday afternoon.

  • Incident happened at E. Waters Avenue, N. 9th Street
  • James Ambrose, 65, taken into custody
  • Police say Ambrose also sprayed driver with mace 

The incident occurred at E. Waters Avenue and N. 9th Street. 

Police say the driver of the HART bus was stabbed multiple times in the leg by a passenger with a box cutter. Police say 65-year-old James Ambrose is the passenger who stabbed the bus driver​ and that he has been arrested.

The incident started when Ambrose got on the bus and refused to pay his full fare, according to detectives.

"There was a passenger who got on who reportedly didn't (pay), he only paid half his fee," said Tampa Police spokesman Eddy Durkin. "He was told to pay the full fare. He started spraying the driver with mace and then started stabbing him in the leg with the box cutter.

"A passenger intervened to help out the driver and everything. The suspect took off on foot and officers were able to arrest him just a couple of blocks away."

HART spokeswoman Carson Chambers said the bus did not have a safety shield installed. About 100 buses in HART's field do have the shield.

The driver is expected to survive.