MTA worker charged with hate crime after allegedly knocking phone out of hand of transgender bus driver who was filming in locker room — driver claims altercation caused PTSD

A longtime New York MTA worker was recently charged with a hate crime and assault after allegedly knocking a phone out of the hand of a transgender bus driver who was video-recording her in the women's locker room.

Nana Mangual, a biological male who identifies as a woman, stated that fellow bus operator Sonia Rivera initiated a verbal and physical altercation while the two were inside the women's locker room at a Bronx bus depot.

According to Mangual, Rivera began the verbal attack after the biological man exited the shower and began to get dressed.

Rivera allegedly shouted at Mangual through the bathroom stall door and berated the bus driver for listening to music in the shower.

"I was listening to my gospel music and from the bathroom stall she screams 'What the f*** is this? Turn that music off. This isn't a disco, who the f*** do you think you are?' She told me I need to use the men's room. When she realized I was recording, she turned around and physically attacked me," Mangual told WPIX-TV.

The video taken on Mangual's cellphone appeared to show Rivera adjusting her uniform in the bathroom mirror as the driver approached her from behind.

Rivera then turns around and appears to smack the phone in Mangual's hand. According to authorities, Rivera then allegedly slapped Mangual in the face.

As a result of the altercation, which occurred two months ago, Mangual claimed to have developed post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I couldn't get this trauma incident out of my head," the bus driver said.

Mangual has been reportedly unable to return to work and has had challenges obtaining workers' compensation.

The driver has demanded that the MTA help with medical leave claims, offer improved accommodations for transgender employees, and require staff to take LGBT+ education training.

Mangual called it "nerve-racking" to work for the MTA since there are not many other transgender drivers.

"I was being discriminated on," Mangual claimed. "Misgendered, being called 'he' when my pronouns are 'she/her.'"

Rivera was arrested by police and charged with harassment, harassment as a hate crime, and assault. It is unclear where the case stands in criminal court, the New York Post reported.

An MTA spokesperson told WPIX, "The MTA does not tolerate violence or discrimination of any kind in the workplace and takes allegations of this nature very seriously. Given this matter is currently under investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time."

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