Driver Held as RTD Accident Woes Continue

The Southern California Rapid Transit District’s troubles continued Tuesday, when one of its drivers was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-run after a collision that injured a motorcyclist.

The motorcyclist also was an RTD driver, who was off duty.

Police said the accident occurred about 2 p.m. Monday on Jefferson Boulevard near Halldale Avenue in the Southwest area. Bus driver Norman Barris, 49, reportedly was changing lanes and struck a motorcycle ridden by Terrence Horne, 26.

Horne was treated at California Medical Center for scrapes on the left elbow and hand, as well as shoulder cuts, Detective Bill Whittaker said.

No Report

RTD spokesman Ray Garcia said Barris, who had been with the bus system for eight years and had a good driving record, did not turn in a report and the RTD was unaware of the mishap until told about it by police more than four hours later.

Garcia said the RTD understood that there was no damage to either vehicle and that witnesses told of seeing Barris speak to the motorcyclist before driving away.

Whittaker said, however, that there was moderate damage to the motorcycle and that none of the witnesses interviewed by police saw Barris get off the bus or speak to Horne.

The bus allegedly kept moving to Halldale, where it paused to let off a passenger. At that point, witnesses allegedly said, Barris walked to the back of the bus and looked out the window at the motorcyclist before continuing eastbound on Jefferson.

Whittaker said he and fellow detective Ken Alexander are seeking additional witnesses.

Barris was arrested Tuesday afternoon when he appeared to be interviewed by traffic investigators. Bail was set at $2,500.

Another RTD driver, Michael Mitchell, 33, was arrested last weekend on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and deliberately ramming his bus into a car carrying a woman and her three children in Sierra Madre. They were not injured.

Mitchell has since been released pending further investigation.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to seek state legislation to permit making public the results of drug tests of bus drivers involved in accidents.

With the publicity over the recent rash of bus accidents, the RTD stopped releasing such information, citing drivers’ privacy rights. However, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn said that when an accident occurs on public transport, “the public has a right to know if that person was working under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

The supervisors also repeated their call for mandatory, random drug testing of drivers, a program RTD officials have hinted they may not be able to legally implement.

Already this month, RTD drivers have been involved in four major accidents injuring more than 50 people.

Times staff writer Rich Connell contributed to this story.