MIAMI — This was not a case of Christmas cheer.

A South Florida man is accused of stabbing a fellow passenger on a Miami bus after the victim wished him a “Merry Christmas,” authorities said.

According to the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation online booking site, Reynaldo Ortega, 73, was arrested on Christmas Day. He was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Ortega has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to an arrest report, the victim boarded the bus at about 12:20 p.m. ET on Dec. 25 and was speaking to a friend when Ortega joined the conversation.

The victim allegedly told Ortega “Merry Christmas” and attempted to shake his hand, but the suspect “swatted it away” and began arguing with the man before pulling out a knife.

The bus driver stopped the ride and separated the two men, with Ortega remaining seated near the front while the victim walked to the back of the vehicle and called 911.

The victim attempted to put the driver on the 911 call with Miami police, but the driver said “he couldn’t talk on the phone” and the man returned to the back of the bus.

That led to another argument that escalated into physical contact, and Ortega allegedly stabbed the victim.

The incident was captured on the bus’ closed-circuit camera, police said.

That led to a physical fight in which Ortega stabbed the victim, police said; the incident was captured on CCTV cameras.

According to the police report, Ortega said he stabbed the victim because he was “being aggressive with him.”

Ortega remains incarcerated without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Tuesday.

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