Westchester : City Charges Van Operator

City Atty. James K. Hahn has filed a 134-count criminal complaint against the operator of a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport for what he called its “stunning indifference” to safety problems in its airport shuttle fleet.

The charges against Trusthouse Forte Inc. and company President Barry Lee Conrad stem from the firm’s failure to adequately maintain its fleet of shuttle buses at the Viscount Hotel, at 9750 Airport Blvd., Hahn charged this week.

Trusthouse Forte operates the hotel and runs its airport shuttle service, Hahn said. Conrad and other company officials could not be reached for comment.

The fleet has flunked four consecutive safety inspections since last August, mostly on violations of the California Vehicle Safety Code, Hahn said.

Deputy City Atty. Asha Saund, who is handling the case, said the vehicles were often in such bad condition that authorities ordered them removed from service due to “imminently hazardous mechanical defects,” including emergency exit windows that were screwed shut, defective exhaust systems underneath passenger areas, and loose bolts securing passenger seats to the floor.

Arraignment in the case is set for Aug. 2 in West Los Angeles Municipal Court.