Man pleads guilty to attack on bus driver

Edmonton Transit employees packed a courtroomThursday to hear a man plead guilty toaggravated assault in the vicious attack on veteran bus driver Tom Bregg last December.

Gary Edwin Mattson, 25, was originally charged with attempted murder and aggravated assaultafter the attack during the morning rush hour on Dec. 3. Mattsondidn'tenter a guilty plea on the attempted murder charge.

Bregg suffered life-threatening head and facial injuries in the attack. Hechatted withcolleagues outside court, ashutleft eye serving as a reminder of the severity of his injuries,five months after the attack.

Later Thursday morning, Bregg walked into courtto hear statements from witnesses.

Dispute arose over fare

Bregg was driving the No. 10 bus at 7:30 a.m.that day when he stopped to pick up a man at 139th Avenue and Victoria Trail in northeast Edmonton.

Mattson refused to pay the fare when he got on the bus. He started swearing at Bregg and, according to witnesses, punchedhim and pulled him out of his seat after being asked to leave.

Mattson then dragged Bregg onto the sidewalk and "stomped on his face," the court was told.

According to a police report presented in court, Mattson appeared moderately drunk at the time and was belligerent.He spat at one of the arresting officers, the report said.

Bregg was in intensive care for more than two weeksafter the attack. He also needed rehabilitationat Glenrose Hospital.

Bus driver Charlene Logan, one of the Edmonton Transit employees in court,said she saw some of the photos of the Decemberattack.

"Being in the front row, I could see over the shoulder, and it was pretty harsh, pretty harsh stuff,"Logan said in an interview.

"It was sad, it was really sad you keep thinking it could be anyone of us."

Crown prosecutor Pat Innes told the court she intends to ask the court to designate Mattson a dangerous offender.

The matter was adjourned Thursday afternoon.Adate for sentencing has not beendetermined.

Innessaidthe Crownwould deal with the attempted murder charge after the sentencing for aggravated assault.