Hearing canceled for Gwinnett County bus hijacking suspect

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - A scheduled court hearing for the man charged in last summer's hijacking of a Gwinnett County bus has been canceled.

Joseph Grier, 39, is charged with murder, 14 counts of aggravated assault and kidnapping, hijacking a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On Thursday morning, a judge announced that neither Grier nor his attorneys would appear in court. It is not clear why they did not appear.

RELATED: Wife of hijacked bus driver shares harrowing Atlanta chase experience

Gwinnett County bus hijacking

The backstory:

Officials say the hijacking happened in June 2024, moments after police held a press conference about an active shooting incident in the food court at Peachtree Center.

FOX 5's camera captured Grier at the scene of the Downtown shooting shortly before the hijacking. He told reporters that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and hadn't taken his medication in weeks.  

A short time later, investigators said he boarded the Gwinnett County transit bus a few blocks away and got into an argument with 58-year-old Ernest Byrd, Jr. Cops say Grier took Byrd’s gun from him, shot him, then told the driver to go. 

MORE: Woman recounts 'terrifying' moments hijacked Gwinnett transit bus hit her head-on

The chase went from Downtown Atlanta to Interstate 85 during rush hour traffic. The bus continued on side streets, sometimes ramming vehicles in its path. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said police flattened tires on the bus, but it kept rolling until a state trooper fired his rifle into the engine, causing it to stop running.

After the bus was stopped, Grier was taken into custody and has remained in jail without bond.

Who is Joseph Grier?

What they're saying:

According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, Grier has an extensive criminal history. He has been arrested 19 times and some of those crimes that he was arrested for involved the use of a handgun.

According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, Grier was last released from Baldwin State Prison a decade ago after serving time for a 2011 aggravated assault in Fulton County. In addition to the two counts of aggravated assault, Grier also served time for the possession of a knife during the commission of a crime.

GDOC records indicate he also served time for a 2008 aggravated assault in Cobb County and child molestation in 2005 in DeKalb County.

According to the Fulton County Jail, Grier was arrested in 2017 for violation of probation, in 2019 for criminal trespass, simple assault, and violation of a protective order, and in 2019 for aggravated battery and aggravated assault.

According to the DeKalb County Jail, Grier was arrested in 2004 for disorderly conduct, 2010 for failure to register as a sex offender, 2017 for public indecency and battery-family violence.

The other side:

The partner of Grier's father revealed that the arrested man had struggled with mental illness for the 16 years she has known him. He has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and has been receiving medical treatment. 

She described him as having a soft, calm, and loving demeanor when he is well-rested and taking his medication. However, she expressed concern that he stopped taking his medication after losing his job recently and has not been getting much sleep.

What's next:

Another status hearing will be scheduled for a later time.