Police arrest subway driver suspected of hitting fellow passenger during dispute over seat

A subway passenger suspected of hitting a 72-year-old man during a dispute over a seat on the train has been arrested, police said on Saturday.

Alexander Santiago was identified as the bald man who left his backpack on a seat, sparking an argument with his victim on a Bay Ridge-bound R train during rush hour Wednesday morning.

Members of the NYPD’s Warrants Squad arrested Santiago, 32, on Friday morning, just hours after police released surveillance footage showing him leaving the 25th Street station after the attack.

He was charged with second-degree harassment and assault, resulting in injury to a victim over 65, police said. He was released without bail after a brief arraignment Saturday morning, court records show.

The victim boarded the subway at Court Street in Downtown Brooklyn around 9:15 a.m. and argued with Santiago as the train entered the Atlantic Avenue station, police said.

Santiago had placed his backpack on an empty seat that could have been used by another passenger, causing the collision, police said.

The argument continued over several stops until Santiago attacked the senior citizen at the 25th St. stop in Sunset Park and hit him in the head, police said.

He left the train shortly after hitting the victim. The victim refused medical attention.

Police found surveillance footage of Santiago leaving the station with a large backpack. They released the images early Friday and asked for help in finding him.