Detroit bus driver died of COVID-19 weeks after complaining of passenger's cough

DETROIT -- A Detroit bus driver who went live on Facebook two weeks ago to complain about a coughing bus rider has died of COVID-19, FOX 2 has learned.

The driver’s name is Jason Hargrove. It’s not known how old he was or when he died, but the Detroit Department of Transportation Drivers’ Union planned to make a statement on Thursday, April 2.

Hargrove went live on Facebook about two weeks ago to complain about a woman who was on his bus, coughing repeatedly without covering her mouth. (WARNING: The video contains foul language.)

“I’m trying to be the professional," said Hargrove in his video. "They want me to be and I kept my mouth closed, but it’s at some point in time where you got to draw the line and say enough is enough. I feel violated. I feel violated for the folks that were on the bus when this happened. There was about eight or nine people on the bus that stood there as she coughed and never covered up her mouth."

It’s not known when Hargrove became sick or if his sickness could be connected to the female passenger.

“This is real," Hargrove said. "Ya’ll need to take this serious. This is real. I’m out here. We out here. We moving the city around back and forth trying to do our jobs and be professional about what we do."

As of Thursday, bus services in Detroit were still operating, though at limited capacity.

One DDOT worker told FOX 2 Thursday they’re angry that the city hasn’t shut down the bus system, because they said multiple drivers are infected and that sick people keep riding the buses. City leaders have yet to confirm how many DDOT drivers are sick.

On March 17, bus service was canceled entirely due to a shortage of drivers. Many of the drivers called in sick that day to take a stand, saying the city was not doing enough to address their health and safety concerns amid the virus crisis.

Though, at the time Hargrove went live on Facebook, he didn’t seem to be upset that the city’s bus system was still operational.

“I ain’t blaming nobody, nobody. Not the city, not the mayor, not the department, not the state of Michigan, not the government, nobody. Not the president. I blame that woman who stood on this bus and coughed. It’s her fault. It’s people like her who don’t take this for real why this is still existing and still spreading,” he said.

He called the woman’s actions disrespectful.

All Michiganders have been told to stay home to help slow the spread of the virus, and if they must go out for essential shopping or business to keep their distance from strangers.