Surveillance video released after county bus attack

Milwaukee police say a man attacked a woman on a Milwaukee County bus Friday around 2:45 p.m. in West Allis, and police say the attack was unprovoked, and could have been worse if another passenger hadn't stepped in. Now, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke wants to find that Good Samaritan, so he can shake his hand.

Police say surveillance video shows 44-year-old Rodney Flowers shouting at a woman in the back corner of the bus. Then, Flowers gets out of his seat, grabs the woman, and hits her face against the bus window. The video then shows another passenger in a hooded sweatshirt pull Flowers away from the woman, and drag him to the front of the bus. The driver hit a silent alarm to notify police, while passengers tried to calm Flowers down. On the video, Flowers is heard denying he did anything wrong, and tries talking to the driver before the police arrived and arrested him.

Rodney was arrested and has been charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Sheriff David Clarke says he feels that charge isn't enough, and wants Flowers charged with felony battery to a transit passenger. Sheriff Clarke says incidents like this happen far too often.

"It`s poor quality of life, deteriorating quality of life on too many buses in Milwaukee County.  As far as I`m concerned, no one should have to put up with this, and not just the victim. Nothing would justify attacking a woman on a bus who's minding her own business," Sheriff Clarke said.

The video also shows children on the bus, and a man who is visually disabled.

Flowers has a long history of disorderly conduct charges, and the majority of them have been dismissed - some for mental reasons.