LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The family of a man who was attacked and killed on an RTC bus earlier this year have filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
The court filing obtained by Channel 13 accuses the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, its partner, Keolis, and a bus driver of acting "negligently, recklessly, carelessly, and with a conscious disregard for the safety and rights of others..."
Surveillance video shows the argument on board the bus that led to 30-year-old Dominique Lucas being stabbed more than 30 times.
Aaron Cole, 59, is accused of Lucas' murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.
The complaint states Lucas was attacked "without provocation" and stabbed while laying on the floor directly next to the bus driver, "pleading for help."
Lawyers representing Lucas' family argue the driver "failed to take action to prevent the assault and/or promote safety on the bus" and "failed to take timely action to avoid or mitigate the injuries."
The complaint also alleges RTC and Keolis failed to employ adequate safety measures to protect passengers and the public following previous incidents of assault, battery, domestic violence, and death.
A spokesperson for the RTC told Channel 13 they cannot comment on pending litigation. After the attack, the company released the following statement in response to concerns over passenger safety:
"At the RTC, our passengers’ and drivers’ safety is our utmost priority. We engage in several measures to ensure the safety of our passengers and drivers, including deploying security officers who patrol our transit system at any given time, providing real-time access to our surveillance system for law enforcement agencies, and adding Transit Watch on our rideRTC app for passengers to report suspicious activity," the statement read. "In addition to being one of the first agencies to install driver safety enclosures, we continue to invest in safety, including $10 million to upgrade our security equipment and $13 million annually for contracted security services."
Lucas' family are suing for a minimum of $15,000 in damages, along with attorney's fees.
As of this report, a court date had not been set.
