A woman is suing Long Beach Transit, alleging a security guard on one of the agency’s buses showed her a picture of his genitals and made aggressive sexual advances.
In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court last month, the woman said she was riding a bus near Cherry Avenue and Anaheim Street when she was approached by one of the agency’s transit ambassadors, who are contracted to provide security services.
The man pulled out his phone, displayed a picture of what he purported to be his own penis and said, “You are going to have this in your mouth next time I see you and I am going to shoot you $30. We could get out the bus at any time and do this while I am on the clock,” according to the lawsuit.
When the woman said the comments were “very inappropriate” and began to move away, the transit ambassador “intentionally brushed his hand” against her buttocks, according to the lawsuit, which said the incident happened around 9:30 a.m. on July 28.
When Long Beach Transit learned of the situation, the security guard “was promptly removed from their position,” according to Arantxa Chavarria, a spokesperson for the agency.
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Attorney Charles M. Ray, who represents the woman, said the guard’s “disgusting” behavior was a betrayal of trust.
“My client got on the bus that day because she thought it was a safe place to be to just move from point A to point B.”
Instead, he said, she was sexually assaulted and is now afraid to take the bus.
Long Beach Transit contracts with Allied Universal Security Services to provide the ambassadors, but when the woman tried to complain to supervisors at the company, they never returned her call, according to the lawsuit.
Allied Universal, Long Beach Transit and the unnamed security guard are all defendants in the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages for battery, assault, negligence and infliction of emotional distress.
A representative for Allied Universal declined to answer questions, saying in an email that the company does not comment on pending litigation.
Ray said his client filed a police report a few days after the incident but he does not know the status of that investigation.
Long Beach police confirmed they took a report of sexual battery, but, “After numerous failed follow-up attempts made by detectives to contact the victim, the case was suspended,” Officer Eric Stachura said.
Long Beach Transit cooperated with the investigation, “and we intend to do so with the legal proceedings as well,” Chavarria said.