TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Less than 24 hours after brawling with half a dozen police officers in front of the Presidential Office on Thursday, an Iranian man, identified as Vahid, at 6 a.m. Friday (Oct. 13) brutally assaulted a bus driver and a police officer, reported Apple Daily.

After being released from police custody for running erratically on Xinyi Road and fighting with half a dozen police officers in front of the Presidential Office yesterday, Vahid reportedly went drinking with a friend until 6 a.m. this morning. When Vahid, who appears to be suffering some form of mental illness, was crossing the intersection of Yonghe and Linsen Road in New Taipei's Yonghe District, he suddenly ran to the center of the road and blocked the path of a shuttle bus.

When the 63-year-old bus driver surnamed Lin (林) stepped out to ask Vahid to move out of the way, he savagely punch Lin in the face over 10 times. Lin's eyes were swollen shut and suffered multiple lacerations to his nose, and needed to be rushed to the hospital to have his wounds treated.

Bystanders who saw the assault immediately called the police. As soon as the police officer arrived on the scene, he tried to calm the agitated Iranian national down, but he would not relent. In order to try and prevent an accident on the road, the officer tried to drag Vahid to the side of the road, but he resisted and also started punching the policeman.

Passersby who realized what was happening came to the officer's aid and helped pin the assailant down to the ground. Vahid was then taken to the police station for questioning.

As Vahid was still not cooperating with police, he is being held for more questioning at the time of publication.

Apple Daily reported that he was an assistant at Academia Sinica and organization confirmed this. The research institute said that his misconduct was in violation of the relevant provisions of the organization, and his contract will be suspended. Academia Sinica also expressed regret, and hoped that the injured policeman and driver would recover as soon as possible, but will also contact Vahid's friends to help him deal with subsequent matters.