The Central Ohio Transit Authority is investigating whether a driver discriminated against a gay passenger whom she kicked off the bus. Passenger Ben Purdom posted a video of the aftermath to Facebook on June 3, the day after the driver stopped the No. 83 bus without explanation to wait for a supervisor. COTA this morning released surveillance video from the bus that backs up Purdom's assertion that he was doing nothing wrong.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority is investigating whether a driver discriminated against a gay passenger whom she kicked off the bus.

Passenger Ben Purdom recorded a video while on the bus and posted it to Facebook on Friday, the day after the driver stopped the No. 83 bus without explanation to wait for a supervisor. Purdom was riding the bus to work at the AMC Easton movie theater.

On Tuesday, COTA released security video from the bus that backs up Purdom's assertion that he was doing nothing wrong.

The security video shows Purdom boarding the bus and paying his fare before taking a seat near the back doors. Another passenger is sitting in the back of the bus.

Purdom appears to be sitting quietly and using his smartphone.

Minutes before the driver stops the bus, according to the security video, she appears to speak to Purdom for the first time: �If you keep doing what you�re doing, I�m going to have to ask you to get off. I�m uncomfortable with you on here.�

Purdom looks up from his phone and asks what he's doing wrong. But the driver won't specify. The driver at one point says it isn�t the first time that Purdom has �done it.�

�I�m not going to accept you being on the bus and assault me,� she says. �And then sit there like you�re doing nothing, but my body knows you�re doing something.�

Purdom said he felt threatened by the driver.

�She was really terrifying,� he told The Dispatch. �I didn�t figure that it might be a discriminatory thing until someone pointed out her �I love Jesus� lanyard. I was wearing visible makeup. I can only jump to conclusions because she wouldn�t give me an explanation.�

COTA is investigating the incident, according to a written statement.

�COTA policy strictly prohibits all discrimination, including that based upon sexual orientation, and we take seriously any such allegation. At this time, we are reviewing all available information so that we can have a full understanding of this incident. Once we have the facts, we will share information with the public, and we will take appropriate action.�

COTA officials would not release the driver�s name on Tuesday. Transport Workers Union Local 208 did not return a call for comment.

COTA spokesman Marty Stutz said the driver now is on a "pre-scheduled vacation."

After the bus stopped, Purdom started recording his description of the incident on his cellphone from inside the bus. The video he posted to Facebook had more than 50,000 views as of Tuesday morning.

A COTA supervisor showed up, but Purdom said he offered no explanation for the driver�s behavior. Police who responded asked whether he had an aerosol can that might have confused the driver, he said. He didn't.

Purdom said he became upset during his video because stopping the bus made him late for work, where he had just started that week.

The COTA supervisor eventually took him to work, but Purdom said he was 20 minutes late.

When he rode the bus the next day, Purdom said, the same driver was operating it, but there was no further incident.

�Literally, all I want is just for her to not work there anymore,� he said. �One, I don�t want to have to deal with her, and nobody else should have to deal with her.�

rrouan@dispatch.com

@RickRouan