A second man involved in a violent attack on a Calgary Transit bus driver has been sentenced to three years in prison, along with 18 months of probation. Darryl Flett was sentenced this week for his role in the May 2025 assault, which left 67-year-old driver Amarjit Grewal seriously injured. Court previously heard Flett and his brother, Custis Spence, boarded a bus in the community of Falconridge before attacking Grewal with weapons. Spence struck the driver with a collapsible baton, while Flett repeatedly hit him with an edged weapon. Grewal suffered significant injuries but has since returned to work. Spence was previously sentenced to four years in custody. Mike Mahar, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, said the sentence is difficult for transit workers to accept, even as they understand how the court reached its decision. “You go to work, you should be able to go home. You’re looking after your families,” Mahar said. “The sentencing part is difficult. We don’t want to be vindictive, but we want this to be a social deterrent.” Mahar said stronger penalties are needed to send a clear message, pointing to a rise in violence against transit operators across Canada. “There needs to be heavier sentences,” he said. “If something doesn’t happen now, it’s just going to get worse.” He added the impact of such attacks goes beyond physical injuries, affecting workers’ mental health and the transit system as a whole. “It’s devastating for him, for his family. It’s brutal,” Mahar said.
