PORT TOWNSEND — Two good Samaritans who came to the aid of two Jefferson Transit bus drivers under attack on Oct. 18 were honored Tuesday for their deeds.
Jefferson Transit Authority board Chairman David Sullivan read a resolution honoring Anthony Lane and Olivia Leighann Rogers, both of Port Townsend, and others who helped the drivers or contacted police when a man attacked and injured Transit drivers Charlene Buckley and Alice Lane.
Also injured in the attack was a 12-year-old girl who was waiting outside the bus at the time of the attack. The assailant stomped on her foot.
Anthony Lane — who is no relation to Alice Lane — was honored for subduing an assailant, while Rogers, a Port Townsend High School freshman, was the first to phone emergency 9-1-1 to notify police.
Yang Li, 21, who was visiting from Thailand, was arrested on investigation of two counts of third-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault on a child after the two Jefferson Transit bus drivers were attacked at Haines Place Park and Ride in October.
He has not been formally charged.
He was being held for mental evaluation at a Bremerton institution.
Anthony Lane, 30, said he and his wife, Catherine, were in their car in the Safeway Parking lot across the street from Haines Place Park and Ride at the time of the incident.
Heard a scream
“I heard this God-awful scream and saw this guy attacking a woman,” Anthony Lane said. “He pummeled her.”
He ran across the street.
“I just put him in a full nelson and put my knee in his back,” he said. “He went nuts banging his head on the ground.”
He held the man down until police arrived.
Buckley, 49, suffered bruises and a damaged tooth. Alice Lane, 54, came to Buckley’s aid and received similar injuries.
Alice Lane was cited in the transit board’s resolution for coming to Buckley’s aid.
Also cited in the resolution was Julie Fulton, a bystander who alterted driver Alice Lane that the assault was taking place.
Lloyd Eisenman, the on-duty Jefferson Transit dispatcher when the incident occurred, was cited for “his immediate and professional handling of the situation.”
Eisenman volunteered to finish Buckley’s shift when she was taken to Jefferson Healthcare hospital for treatment.
Carol Headley, a Transit dispatcher who was off duty but heard the call on her scanner at home, was cited for volunteering to fill in for Eisenman as dispatcher while he drove for Buckley.
Calling it “an unprovoked assault,” Transit General Manager Dave Turissini said, “It’s great to see people in the community step up to help.”
Sullivan, who is also a county commissioner, said those who responded showed strong character and daring in their actions.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.