A Maryland Transit Administration bus driver is suing the agency’s Police Department, alleging one of its officers falsely arrested him after a crash on an outstanding warrant for a different man.

Brett Johnson claimed in the lawsuit filed in Baltimore Circuit Court that he rear-ended a vehicle at about 4 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2022, at the intersection of Wilkens Avenue and South Rolling Road in Catonsville.

Baltimore County Police responded to the crash, asked for his driver’s license and checked to see if anyone had warrants, according to the lawsuit. MTA Police later took over.

MTA Police Officer Anthony Congress ran another warrant check and came across one for a William Johnson. Even though that man had a different name and date of birth, the lawsuit alleges, Congress arrested Brett Johnson anyway.

“We got you,” Congress repeatedly taunted Johnson, the lawsuit claims. “We got you.”

Courtney Mims, a spokesperson for the MTA, said the mass transit system cannot comment on pending litigation. Congress could not be reached for comment.

“We don’t try our cases in the press,” said Mark Herman, Johnson’s attorney. “We do it the old fashioned way.”

The lawsuit was filed on Nov. 27 and names the MTA Police Department and Congress as defendants.

Before bus drivers start their routes, the MTA runs checks to make sure their driver’s licenses are valid and that they don’t have any open warrants, according to the lawsuit.

While he was standing outside the bus in handcuffs, Johnson alleges multiple people he knew saw him. His supervisor told him he should “just go along with the arrest and not resist,” the lawsuit asserts.

Congress, the lawsuit alleges, took Johnson to the Northern District for further processing.

When Congress looked at the warrant, the lawsuit claims, he realized he could no longer detain Johnson.

Johnson alleges he was illegally detained for hours — and “humiliated and anguished by this entire incident.”