Resourceful Israeli stops runaway bus in NYC

An Israeli became the hero of the day in New York City after taking over the wheel of a bus when the driver suddenly lost consciousness, managing to bring the runaway vehicle to a halt without serious injuries to any passengers or passersby.

“A few minutes into the trip, I heard a loud cough in the front. Someone yelled, and then we hit a car,” said Guy Preissler, a high-tech entrepreneur living in New York, recounting his Monday heroics to Channel 2 News on Thursday. “I gathered that something happened to the driver. I jumped up from my seat and saw he was unconscious, with his hands dangling by his sides and his head bent back. The bus kept colliding with cars parked sideways… I grabbed the steering wheel, spun it around and put the bus back on its course.”

That wasn’t the end of it.

“I tried to move the driver’s leg to get to the brake, but couldn’t. I saw that we were speedily approaching the cars in front of the bus, as the driver’s foot rested on the gas pedal,” said Preissler. “I managed to move his foot — the bus slowed until it stopped.”

“The driver then regained consciousness, was shocked and asked what was going on. A second later, he saw that the front of the bus was completely smashed and called the office to get help.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the driver — who has approximately 30 years’ experience — and two passengers who sustained light injuries were taken to the hospital.