Cleveland Bus Driver Artis Hughes Fired, Sentenced to Jail After On-Bus Altercation

What people are asking

What happened to Artis Hughes?

Artis Hughes, the bus driver, was fired from the Greater Cleveland RTA in November 2012. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault, was found guilty in April 2013, and sentenced in July 2013 to three days in jail, three years of probation, a $1,000 fine, and anger management courses. A civil lawsuit filed against him by the passenger was voluntarily dismissed.

What happened to Shi'dea Lane?

Shi'dea Lane, the passenger, was charged with disorderly conduct. She pleaded no contest and was found guilty in June 2013, then sentenced in July 2013 to three days in jail, a $250 fine, and anger management courses. Her civil lawsuit against Artis Hughes was dismissed, and her case against the Greater Cleveland RTA was also dismissed on appeal due to governmental immunity.

Was Artis Hughes reinstated as a bus driver?

Artis Hughes's union, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268, voted to pursue arbitration to get his job back, and hearings were underway as of June 2013. However, the final outcome of these arbitration efforts is not available in public reporting.

What were the RTA's actions regarding the incident?

The Greater Cleveland RTA immediately suspended Artis Hughes after the video surfaced in October 2012 and officially fired him in November 2012. The RTA was also named in a civil lawsuit by Shi'dea Lane, but an appeals court affirmed the dismissal of the case against them in September 2014, citing governmental immunity.