AUSTIN, Texas — George Johnson, 35, was sentenced to five years in prison after threatening a bus passenger with a box cutter while making derogatory and homophobic remarks in the summer of 2022.
Johnson was convicted of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Travis County jurors determined he intentionally targeted the victim because of their sexual orientation.
The judge ordered Johnson to serve five years for each count concurrently in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The incident occurred on June 14, 2022, aboard a Capital Metro bus in North Austin. Surveillance video from the bus showed Johnson approach the victim and strike them in the face with the box cutter.
Austin Police arrested Johnson eight days later after receiving an anonymous tip. On May 18, 2023, he was reindicted on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with the added allegation that the attack was motivated by bias against the victim’s sexual orientation.
The victim sustained minor injuries. During the trial, jury selection and testimony took place over several days, culminating in guilty verdicts returned by the jury.
