Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Artis Hughes could face up to six months in jail when he is sentenced
Artis Hughes -- the former RTA bus driver who is accused of uppercutting an unruly female passenger -- pleaded "no contest" to a charge of assault Tuesday morning in Shaker Heights Municipal Court, according to NewsNet5. The judge found Hughes guilty but did not sentence him. Hughes could face up to six months in jail or $1,000 in fines when he is sentenced. Hughes' sentencing hearing has not been scheduled. Meanwhile, Shidea Lane -- the woman Hughes is accused of striking -- was charged with disorderly conduct and a trial has been scheduled for May 2 in Shaker Heights Municipal Court. Hughes, 59, and Lane, 25, were involved in an altercation — which was recorded on a cell phone and later became a viral video — on an RTA bus in Beachwood …
Friday, March 8, 2013
Artis Hughes' hearing was set for March 27 but union president reports that the RTA's lawyer has requested that it be postponed to May
Arbitration over the firing of a Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority bus driver may be postponed, according to Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268 President William Nix. Artis Hughes — the former RTA bus driver who is accused of uppercutting an unruly female passenger — was fired following the altercation. According to an email Nix sent Patch, counsel for the RTA requested that the arbitration hearing scheduled for March 27 be postponed to late May or June. A reason was not given in the email and the lawyer did not return a phone call from Patch. Hughes, 59, and Shidea Lane, 25, were involved in an altercation — which was recorded on a cell phone and later became a viral video — on an RTA bus in Beachwood last fall. Lane …
Friday, March 1, 2013
A change of plea hearing has been scheduled for RTA driver Artis Hughes, who is accused of assaulting an unruly female passenger
Artis Hughes -- the former RTA bus driver who is accused of uppercutting an unruly female passenger -- was scheduled to have a pretrial hearing in his assault case Thursday in Shaker Heights Municipal court. However, a change of plea hearing has been scheduled for April 2 instead, according to online court records. The scheduling of the hearing itself is not legally an admission of guilt. Meanwhile, Shidea Lane -- the woman Hughes is accused of striking -- was charged with disorderly conduct and a trial has been scheduled for May 2 in Shaker Heights Municipal Court. Hughes, 59, and Lane, 25, were involved in an altercation — which was recorded on a cell phone and later became a viral video — on an RTA bus in Beachwood last fall. Lane …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
RTA to ask its board of trustees for $2 million to install cameras on all buses
The Cleveland City Council will introduce a bill Monday intended to protect Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority bus drivers in light of a viral video of a bus driver uppercutting a passenger last year. NewsNet5 reports that Councilman Kevin Conwell will introduce the bill Monday prohibiting eating and drinking, listening to music without headphones and spitting on others, and making hitting a driver illegal. See all posts on this topic: RTA Uppercut Topic Page The RTA will ask its board of trustees for $2 million to install cameras on every bus, NewsNet5 adds. Read more about the safety initiatives here.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Judge grants motions to delay trials for Artis Hughes and Shidea Lane
A Shaker Heights Municipal Court judge has granted motions to delay the trials of Artis Hughes and Shidea Lane. The two were involved in an altercation — which was recorded on a cell phone and later became a viral video — on an RTA bus in Beachwood last fall. Shidea Lane, 25, reportedly boarded an RTA #5 bus Sept. 18 without paying. A dispute began that ended in the notorious uppercut delivered by Hughes, who was driving the bus. Both Lane and Hughes were criminally charged following the incident. See all posts on this topic: RTA Uppercut Topic Page Hughes' jury trial for an assault charge was scheduled to begin today, but it was pushed back to February 28 per a joint request made by the defense and the prosecution so more evidence could …
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Tell us what you think: should the bus driver featured in the viral video be given his job back at the RTA?
A bus driver who was captured in a viral video punching a passenger is unhappy with his dismissal from the RTA, and his union is fighting the decision. Artis Hughes was fired Nov. 6 after an altercation witha female passenger that ended with an uppercut. A video of Hughes uppercutting a passenger in Beachwood went viral on the web. The RTA said that Hughes' actions were not in accordance with the company's policies, and he has been charged with assault in connection with the altercation. Do you think Hughes should get his job back? Take our poll and tell us why in the comments.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority bus driver shown in a viral video punching a passenger was fired last month over the dispute.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's bus driver union voted to bring in an arbitrator in connection with the firing of a bus driver involved in a physical altercation with a passenger last year. Artis Hughes was fired Nov. 6 after an altercation witha female passenger that ended with an uppercut. A video of Hughes uppercutting a passenger in Beachwood went viral on the web. The RTA said that Hughes' actions were not in accordance with the company's policies, and he has been charged with assault in connection with the altercation. The passenger, Shidea Lane, has also been charged with disorderly conduct. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268 President William Nix said that the members approved the measure to seek arbitration …
Sunday, December 30, 2012
A viral video of a bus driver punching a passenger on an RTA bus was Beachwood's biggest story of the year.
One of the biggest hits locally this year wasn't in the box office, it was on an RTA bus in Beachwood. On October 11 a video of a bus driver punching a passenger on an RTA bus went viral online is from an incident in Beachwood. Warning: Video contains graphic scenes and strong language. The video, first posted on the website WorldStarHipHop.com Oct. 11, has since been viewed nearly 17 million times there and reportings on YouTube have been viewed over 375,000 times. In the shaky, graphic video, a woman, Shidea Lane, 25, is seen standing at the front of the bus arguing with the driver, Artis Hughes, 59. The two threaten each other and the woman approaches the driver, possibly striking him. Hughes has been an employee of RTA for 22 years. …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Greater Cleveland RTA considering plastic enclosure, other safety options.
In light of two recent violent confrontations on Greater Cleveland RTA buses, officials are considering more safety precautions for drivers, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and WEWS reported. Last month, a video of a driver uppercutting a passenger in Beachwood went viral, and another incident last week sparked government officials to start asking questions. See all posts on this topic: RTA Uppercut Topic Page The RTA reported in October that 71 driver assaults have been reported in the past five years. Do you think drivers should be in a plexiglass enclosure? What else should the RTA do to prevent driver assaults? Tell us in the comments!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Artis Hughes has been terminated, the RTA said today, in part because the company argues that his actions were not in self defense.
The Greater Cleveland RTA bus driver depicted in a viral video punching a passenger has been fired, the RTA said today. Artis Hughes, 59, of Cleveland, was terminated by the RTA today because he did not follow RTA protocol in handling an unruly passenger on a route Sept. 18 in Beachwood, the RTA said. See all posts on this topic: RTA Uppercut Topic Page Shidea Lane, 25, reportedly boarded an RTA #5 bus Sept. 18 without paying. A dispute began —which was recorded on a cell phone and later became a viral video — that ended in the notorious uppercut delivered by the angry bus driver. Though the RTA acknowledged in a press release that Lane was out of line that day, the company asserted that Hughes did not react properly to the threat, and his…
Yvonne Renee Harris
3:25 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
Give Art his job back he's our hero from all bus drivers more ›