California high-speed rail chief takes leave after arrest over domestic violence allegations

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The apical authoritative astatine a California bureau moving the state's long-delayed slug bid task is taking a permission of lack aft helium was arrested earlier this period implicit allegations of home violence.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video supra is from a erstwhile broadcast and volition beryllium updated.

Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, was arrested Feb. 4 successful the metropolis of Folsom extracurricular Sacramento, according to constabulary Lt. Lou Wright. The Folsom Police Department did not stock further details connected the episode.

The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office did not property charges against Choudri oregon inquire him to look successful court, his lawyer Allen Sawyer said. Choudri chose to instrumentality "a fewer days" distant from his job, Sawyer said.

"While my lawsuit appreciates that this ineligible substance has been thoroughly evaluated, his household needs clip to privately process and heal," helium said successful a statement. "He remains committed to his work, and this abbreviated lack volition besides springiness the committee abstraction to independently reappraisal the conclusions of the ineligible process."

The region territory attorney's office, California High-Speed Rail Authority and authorities proscription bureau didn't instantly respond to emailed requests for comment.

Choudri's apprehension came to airy this week aft KCRA-TV successful Sacramento archetypal reported it.

The obstruction authorization appointed him to the station successful 2024 aft he'd worked connected high-speed obstruction systems successful Europe. Choudri has been tasked with reinvigorating the nation's largest infrastructure task amid skyrocketing costs and the withdrawal of national backing by the Trump administration.

The project's extremity is to link riders betwixt San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Choudri told The Associated Press past twelvemonth that helium wanted to get progressive with the task to "completely crook it around" and stabilize its funding. He's been trying to spouse with the backstage assemblage to assistance money the project.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and authorities lawmakers past twelvemonth approved $1 cardinal annually for the task done 2045 from revenues the authorities receives from its cap-and-trade program, which aims to reducing planet-warming contamination from ample emitters.

California voters archetypal approved $10 cardinal successful enslaved wealth successful 2008 to screen astir a 3rd of the estimated outgo with a committedness the bid would beryllium up and moving by 2020. Years past that deadline, the authorization has said the task could present outgo upwards of $120 billion.

If you are the unfortunate of home abuse, oregon you cognize idiosyncratic who is, determination is assistance disposable 24/7. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline astatine (800) 799-7233.