An Ottawa man wants to press charges against a bus driver with Gatineau’s Société detransport de l’Outaouais (STO) after he says he was punched in the face.

The man, who has special needs, says the attack happened when the driver got angry that he couldn't speak French.  Gatineau Police confirm they are investigating the case and at the same time, looking into possible charges against the driver for impaired driving.  50-year-old Anthony Govas, in the meantime, says he doesn’t understand why he was targeted.

The swelling has gone down but the bruising is still clearly evident on Anthony Govas' eye.

“My doctor told me yesterday that it’s going to turn green eventually,” he says, recalling an incident Wednesday afternoon while he was waiting in Gatineau to transfer to an STO bus.

“This guy comes off speaking French,” Govas says, “I think I had my music playing and my headphones on and I said I don't speak French and he asked me on and on and on why am I coming to Quebec and not speaking the language?”

Govas says he told the STO driver that he had trouble in school because of a learning problem and can't speak French.  Govas has Asperger’s.

“My mom thinks he picked on me because I have a disability.”

When Govas says he tried to walk away, he claims the driver attacked him.

“He banged me here,” he says, pointing to his right eye which is puffy and discolored, “like punch, punch, punch and on the lip, like bang, bang.”

Govas works as a dishwasher at the Villagia in the Glebe, a retirement home on Metcalfe in Ottawa.  When he got to work that day, his boss took one look at him, asked him what happened and then drove him to the Gatineau police station to file a report.”

Gatineau Police confirm they responded to calls about an assault at the same time they were responding to a 9-1-1 call about an impaired bus driver at the same location.

Constable Andrée East is with Gatineau Police, “We made two separate complaints and both are under investigation at this moment so I can't give more details about it.”

STO confirmed the driver has been suspended pending an investigation by both STO and the police.  The transit company also contacted Govas as he was talking with CTV Ottawa, telling him that they will conduct an investigation into his complaint. 

“I feel a lot more relieved,” he says, “much better.”

Gatineau Police say the driver was arrested but released on a promise to appear in court.  No charges have been laid to this point.