A 20-year-old Surrey man charged in connection with two violent attacks on local transit, including the choking of a bus driver and stabbing of a passenger in Aldergrove, pleaded guilty in Surrey Provincial Court on Wednesday.
Steven Fayant was expected to go to trial, charged with aggravated assault for the stabbing of a 41-year-old Langley man who was getting off the bus near Aldergrove Centre Mall on Feb. 21.
Fayant is also charged with assault in connection with choking a Surrey bus driver on Feb. 18. Before police knew who the attacker was, the bus drivers’ union issued a public warning about the attacks.
At the time, Langley RCMP said that Fayant was arrested a couple of days later at his Surrey home. The arrest was made possible after a Langley Mountie recognized the man from surveillance footage provided by TransLink.
He is also dealing with another charge of assault that took place on Sept. 25, 2011 in Langley.
Fayant was denied bail and has been behind bars since the February attacks.
Fayant is due back in court on Dec. 5 for a pre-sentencing hearing. The judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation.
The victim of the stabbing wasn’t known to Fayant and it isn’t known what provoked the stabbing, said police.
He was stabbed in the back as he was getting off the bus. The 41-year-old victim has recovered from the stabbing.
In the Surrey incident, a rider returned to the driver and started choking him.
The assailant suddenly let go and ran off the bus.