The young man has already lost his job, he faces a felony charge that could put him behind bars for 10 years, and no one seems to care.
No one in town has taken up his cause, the former Madison Metro bus driver who is accused of driving his bus with a man hanging from an outside mirror.
Last week in Circuit Court, Kris Burke waived his right to a preliminary hearing, setting up a trial for second-degree reckless endangerment charges.
The guy hanging from the mirror, after first denying it, eventually admitted to urinating on the bus. That's why the bus driver would not let him back on the bus. So the bus pisser -- intoxicated by that quintessential Madison sense of entitlement -- pulls a foolish stunt by hanging on the mirror. Won't take no for an answer. Isn't that reckless endangerment?
Try having an angry man hanging from your outside mirror while trying to keep your vehicle under control sometime! That's something they don't teach in any driver's ed class. You don't know if he is armed or what he will do if you stop.
And pissing on a bus? How can that be legal?
Now, all this happened on July 29 - a full three months ago. Kris Burke is being ground through the legal meat grinder. What about the bus pisser hanger-on guy? I put that question to Joel DeSpain, one of Madison's greatest journalists before he became spokesman for the Madison Police Department.
From: David Blaska
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:22 PM
To: DeSpain, Joel
Subject: (bus pisser)
Joel, first of all, an overdue congrats on your appointment as Madison PD spokesguy. You are doing a good job. And a nice gig! Got to ask this question and yes, I will use it on my Isthmus site blog. Kris Burke, the Metro bus driver, has been charged for the July 29 bus incident. When will XX XXX, bus pisser and hanger-on, be arrested for his crime?
David Blaska
From: JDeSpain@***
Subject: RE: (bus pisser)
Date: November 1, 2007 8:40:43 AM CDT
Hey David,
I've sent out an email hoping someone out in police land has an answer. It was my understanding the guy did urinate on the bus, but I never heard if he was cited/arrested. Hopefully some sworn to protect and serve will know where this all sits. Hope you are well. Best Regards,
Joel
Class, do you see how all this hangs together? Neighborhood safety, crime, trolleys, quality of life? Who is going to take the bus, much less a trolley, if the pissers walk and those who stand up to them face 10 years at Shawshank?
