An Indianapolis man was charged by a federal grand jury with arson after allegedly setting fire to a public bus last month, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced Thursday.
Demarcus McCloud, 45, was charged with arson of property and vehicle receiving federal funds, which carries a sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison.
On April 24 at around 5 p.m., the Indianapolis Fire Department and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a fire at the IndyGo bus stop at 38th and North Meridian Streets. Firefighters arrived to find the inside of the bus and the front half of the exterior engulfed in flames.
After speaking with witnesses, officers located McCloud in a nearby parking lot holding two butane lighters and arrested him.
Surveillance videos showed McCloud boarding Bus #1993 at the Julia Carson Transit Center on Washington Street while allegedly carrying a jug and the two butane lighters. McCloud sat at the back of the bus and allegedly lit a cigarette "while hiding under a blanket."
McCloud threw the cigarette butt on the floor of the bus, then lit a piece of paper on fire and extinguished it. He then moved to another section of the bus.
As the bus approached the stop at Meridian and 38th Streets, McCloud allegedly began pouring liquid from the jug across the floor of the bus. Leaving the open jug lying on its side, McCloud began to exit the bus, and allegedly lit a piece of paper on fire, throwing it onto the floor on his way out, igniting the liquid.
One passenger on the bus was transported to the hospital to receive treatment for smoke inhalation.
IndyGo operates public buses with funds from the Federal Transportation Administration, which modifies the arson charge.
According to court documents, it is estimated that the bus sustained $2.1 million in damages, while the bus stop sustained approximately $25,000 in damages.
-With reporting from TMX.
