A routine bus ride turned into a heroic act by a SEPTA bus driver and two passengers early Monday morning when they chased down an alleged purse snatcher in Fairmount.
Bus driver Charles Arterbury, a 28-year SEPTA veteran, was driving his Route 48 bus about 4:30 a.m. when he saw a man allegedly mug a woman at the bus stop of North 29th Street and Girard Avenue.
Arterbury and two passengers ran off the bus and chased down the suspect, catching him a half block away on Girard Avenue. Police arrived moments later and arrested the suspect, Norman Jennings, 56, of North Philadelphia.
Jennings is charged with robbery, theft and simple assault.
SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said SEPTA publicly announced Arterbury's brave deed Friday because the transit agency wanted to "say that we were proud of him for helping with that.”
