Thursday, August 11, 2011

Man fleeing fare inspectors shuts down Red Line subway

Metro Red Line
A 51-year-old man sprinted along the Red Line subway tracks in Hollywood to avoid deputies conducting a fare inspection, authorities said Thursday night.

As deputies spoke to Bret Newman on Wednesday afternoon at the Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street station, he unexpectedly took off running south through the train tunnel, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

The incident, reported Wednesday by The Times, prompted officials to de-energize rail power in the tunnel to prevent the runner from being electrocuted.

"This type of action," the department said in a statement, "is both dangerous and rare."

Newman ran more than mile to the next station at Hollywood and Western Avenue. He was arrested for trespassing and delaying a Metro train.

He later told deputies that he thought he had an arrest warrant. But the department said he had no warrants.

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— Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Photo: Riders board a train at the Hollywood and Vine station. Credit: Los Angeles Times

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