CEO of California High-Speed Rail Authority arrested for domestic battery

The CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of domestic battery, authorities said. Ian Choudri, 57, was taken into custody on February 4 at his residence in Folsom, California, following a 911 disturbance involving his 46-year-old fiancée, Lyudmyla Starostyuk, and his 17-year-old daughter.

Both Choudri and Starostyuk were booked into Sacramento County jail and later released. According to the Sacramento Bee, officers responded to reports of an alleged fight between Starostyuk and the teen. Starostyuk allegedly pulled Choudri's daughter's hair and pushed her out of the home. Per the California Post, Choudri had intervened in a dispute between Starostyuk and his daughter. 

A neighbor reportedly called 911 after seeing Choudri, Starostyuk, and his daughter arguing on their front lawn. Both Choudri and Starostyuk were apprehended on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery against a spouse or partner, while Starostyuk was also arrested on suspicion of cruel or inhuman corporal punishment of a child, according to records.

While the Folsom Police Department confirmed the arrests, the district attorney's office has declined to file charges. "The Sacramento District Attorney's Office immediately declined to file charges when an incident report was forwarded to them by the Folsom Police Department," Allen Sawyer, Choudri's attorney, told KCRA 3. "Mr. Choudri was never asked to appear in court, and this matter is over."
 

Peter Whippy, a spokesman for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, said that Choudri has agreed to take a leave of absence while a review is conducted. 

"While CEO Choudri has informed the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board that he is not aware of any evidence of wrongdoing, he has voluntarily agreed to take a temporary leave to allow the Board and our parent agency, the California State Transportation Agency, to fully review and assess the situation. We are taking this matter seriously, consistent with our longstanding commitment to public responsibility, transparency, and accountability. The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s work continues without interruption, and our priorities remain unchanged."

The arrest took place just one day after Choudri joined Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, for a Kern County event celebrating the completion of the Southern Railhead Facility.

Choudri, like Newsom, has received criticism for California's high-speed rail program following years of continuous setbacks,  including delays and budget cost overruns. The project, approved by voters in 2008, remains incomplete and has been described by critics as one of the most controversial infrastructure efforts in US history. President Donald Trump pulled federal funding for the project last year.