BOSTON, Nov. 8, 2013—A Medford man was arraigned yesterday for allegedly assaulting an MBTA bus driver in October, leading to a collision that damaged three parked cars, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DOUGLAS BERGERON (D.O.B. 5/17/81), who has three open criminal cases in as many courthouses, is now charged with a fourth: an October incident on a Route 117 bus for which he is charged with assault and battery on a public employee, interfering with a bus driver, and three counts of wanton destruction of property.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Lafleur of the DA’s staff in Chelsea District Court recommended that Bergeron be held on $5,000 cash bail and that his bail on an earlier Chelsea case charging breaking and entering be revoked. Judge Benjamin Barnes set bail at $300 and declined to revoke the open bail.

Bergeron is charged with assaulting a 39-year-old bus driver during an Oct. 13 trip from Wonderland to Maverick after the driver picked him up on Broadway in Chelsea. His arraignment in this case was delayed because he was arrested in Malden on a separate charge and held in that case before being transported to answer on the MBTA assault.

Bergeron, who was travelling with a female companion, allegedly tried to use his Charlie Card to pay for both of their fares, but didn’t have enough stored value. The driver allowed both of them to remain on the bus and directed Bergeron and his companion to have a seat.

Despite being allowed to ride for free, Bergeron allegedly began a lengthy exposition of why he was travelling without any money. It included an account of his sexual activity that day and an admission that he “had to rob somebody to get some money,” but it failed to explain why he was unable to pay his fare.

At some point, Bergeron allegedly became heated and violent, shouting in the face of the driver who had allowed him to ride for free and allegedly striking him in the face. At that point, the driver lost control of the bus, which struck one parked vehicle and led to significant body damage to that vehicle and two others. The driver suffered facial contusions, a fractured finger, and a sprained wrist.

On Oct. 15, MBTA Transit Police posted surveillance footage from an onboard camera in hopes of identifying the assailant. Within 24 hours, they received multiple tips identifying the assailant as Bergeron and also identifying his female companion. Based on those tips, Transit Police were able to obtain positive identifications of Bergeron and a warrant for his arrest. In the meantime, Malden Police arrested him on an unrelated charge of breaking and entering.

In addition to that case and a the open breaking and entering case he faces in Chelsea, Bergeron also has an open trespassing case in the Boston Municipal Court and convictions for malicious destruction of property, receiving stolen property, breaking and entering, larceny over $250, operating under the influence, operating without a license, leaving the scene of property damage, and drug offenses.

Bergeron is represented by attorney Francisco Napolitano. He will return to court on Dec. 20.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.