Man Accused Of Shooting Culver CityBus Driver Charged With Murder

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man charged with murdering a Culver CityBus driver had unsuccessfully told him to turn the bus around and to stop in traffic in Mar Vista last week before firing at him three times with a revolver, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Wednesday.

Jose Antonio Zayas, 55, of Los Angeles, could face life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of last Thursday's killing of 42- year-old Bruce Rodriguez, the district attorney said.

The murder charge includes allegations that Zayas knew or reasonably should have known that the victim was a bus operator who was killed while engaged in the performance of his duties and that the defendant personally used and discharged a handgun, according to the criminal complaint.

He is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

"After Jose Antonio Zayas got on the bus, he approached Mr. Rodriguez and said effectively he wanted to have the bus turned around. When Mr. Rodriguez said he couldn't do that ... Mr. Zayas said he wanted the bus to be stopped," Hochman told reporters at a news conference at Los Angeles City Hall on Wednesday.

The district attorney said the bus driver "did his job" and responded that he wasn't going to stop the bus in the middle of traffic.

"In response, as the allegations are, Mr. Zayas — who is already a convicted felon in possession of a dangerous weapon years before — took a revolver and shot Mr. Rodriguez three times, ultimately killing him," Hochman said.

Zayas made his initial court appearance Tuesday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom and was ordered held without bail pending arraignment Nov. 5.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the bus driver "became the victim of a senseless act of violence that shocked this community and devastated those who knew and loved him."

He lauded detectives from the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division for working around the clock to compile evidence that led them to quickly identify Zayas. LAPD Lt. Sean Kinchla said witness interviews and video evidence helped in identifying the suspect.

Rodriguez was shot around 5:15 p.m. Thursday near Centinela Avenue and Washington Boulevard, according to police. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Zayas allegedly fled after the shooting, taking a bicycle from a rack on the front of the bus and riding away, police said. He was arrested without incident by the Gang and Narcotics Division FBI Task Force shortly after 2 p.m. Friday in the 3900 block of Motor Avenue, near the southern end of the street at Washington Boulevard, according to the LAPD.

Culver CityBus service was suspended over the weekend in response to the shooting, and Rodriguez was remembered at a vigil attended by hundreds on Saturday.

Rodriguez is survived by his wife, Sandy Sanchez, and their 6-month- old and 3-year-old sons.

"Bruce loved being a dad to our two little boys," Sanchez told reporters at the vigil. "He worked hard to care for us. For 12 years, he worked hard for the city of Culver City as a bus driver."

The city provided crisis support services to its staff following the shooting.

In a statement released Wednesday, Culver City's city manager, Odis Jones, said the filing of criminal charges against Zayas "marks an important step toward accountability and justice following the tragic loss of a deeply valued member of our Culver CityBus team ... Our hearts remain with the victim's family, loved ones, colleagues and the entire Culver CityBus team as we honor the life and service of our colleague."

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park told reporters that comprehensive on-board security is needed for transit operators and their passengers, and called on all local transit agencies to sit down with workers and their unions to devise more effective safety plans.

The councilwoman said Rodriguez had helped people every day to get to work, medical appointments, school and other places they needed to be, adding that "no driver should ever have a knife or gun pulled on them and no driver should ever lose their life just working a normal shift getting people where they need to go."

City News Service