TriMet Bus Driver Arrested, Cited For DUII

GRESHAM, OR — A TriMet bus driver was arrested and cited for driving under the influence of intoxicants in Gresham early Tuesday, according to police officials.

Lamont Biggs, 55, was released from the Gresham Police Department office after receiving his citation because he was experiencing a medical condition that would have prevented him from being safely held at the Multnomah County Jail, a spokesman for the GPD said in a statement.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Feb. 20, a Gresham patrol officer reportedly spotted Biggs' bus speeding east on Southeast Stark Street, near Southeast 205th Avenue, along TriMet's route 20.

After stopping the bus near Southeast 223rd Avenue, the officer spoke with Biggs and reportedly saw signs of impairment.

One person was riding the bus at the time of the stop; they reportedly left after the bus was pulled over.

Biggs was arrested for DUII, but officers could not take him to jail due to a medical issue that required paramedics to evaluate his condition.

The bus was released to a TriMet supervisor. Biggs was released after officers processed his information through the city's criminal justice system.

A statement from TriMet officials assured riders it would cooperate with the investigation and respond accordingly to the outcome:

The operator (Lamont Biggs) is on administrative leave. TriMet is conducting an internal investigation as this is a very serious incident that, if found to be accurate, could be cause for termination under our collective bargaining agreement.
While we cannot comment on personnel matters, we want to assure our riders and the public that this allegation does not reflect TriMet’s core value of safety.
We have more than 1500 operators who work diligently day in and day out to provide safe transit service. An incident such as this does not reflect their commitment or TriMet’s commitment to our community.

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