A "verbal dispute" of an unspecified nature between a Cleveland Greater Regional Transit Authority bus driver and a young female passenger escalates in a hurry to brutal physical contact in footage captured by another commuter and uploaded to World Star Hip Hop.

In the video, the teenager can be seen arguing with the driver, with each threatening the other with physical harm.

The driver makes a provocative comment about the girl's appearance, prompting her to strike him. At that, the driver stops the bus and moves towards the passenger while repeatedly exclaiming "you're going to jail now."

Suddenly, he unleashes a powerful uppercut, knocking the girl down. She immediately bounces back up, but he tosses her out of the bus before she has a chance to retaliate. Undeterred, the teenager returns to the bus and a brawl ensues.

"That's a fuckin' female!" one onlooker shouts. "I don't care!" the driver replies. "She wanna be a man, I'm gonna treat you like a man."

A second attempt to forcibly de-bus the girl fails, and the two are eventually separated by intervening passengers.

As the video concludes, the victim — or instigator, depending on your perspective — is left standing on the bus threatening the driver with his own words, "you're going to jail now, bitch."

The Greater Cleveland RTA released a statement this morning saying the incident, which occurred on September 18th, was brought to their attention and is currently being investigated. The driver's behavior is "absolutely unacceptable," the statement continues, and he was removed from duty and suspended.

UPDATE: It turns out the "teenager" is actually a 25-year-old named Shi'Dea N. Lane. She was identified by Sun Press a short while ago along with the bus driver, 59-year-old Artis Hughes.

According to Hughes, the argument started after Lane boarded the bus without paying and cursed at him. Read the full report at The Smoking Gun.

[H/T: HyperVocal, GlobalGrind]