The leader of the California High-Speed Rail Authority has announced a leave of absence after being arrested in a domestic violence incident involving his fiancée.
Ian Choudhury was taken into custody on February 4 after allegedly trying to intervene in a dispute between Lyudmila “Mira” Staroshuk and her teenage daughter at their home in Folsom, near Sacramento.
A neighbor reported seeing Choudhury, Staroshuk, and the girl arguing outside close to midnight, which prompted a call to law enforcement, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The 57-year-old Choudhury reportedly attempted to step in during the altercation but was later arrested on charges of domestic assault.
Staroshuk, aged 46, was also arrested under suspicion of domestic violence and child abuse.
Peter Whippy, director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, stated late Tuesday that while Choudhury believes there is no evidence of any wrongdoing, he has chosen to take a temporary leave of absence to allow a thorough review by the Board and the California Department of Transportation.
Whippy emphasized that this matter is taken seriously, reinforcing their commitment to public accountability and transparency. He noted that the operations of the California High-Speed Rail Authority would continue as normal with unchanged priorities.
Some reports indicated a memo was sent to staff mentioning Chief of Staff Mark Tollefson would step in on an interim basis.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office chose not to pursue charges against Choudhury and Staroshuk due to insufficient evidence, explaining that police did not observe any visible injuries.
Interestingly, Choudhury had just attended an event with Governor Gavin Newsom earlier on the same day, where they discussed the launch of a facility aimed at advancing the state’s high-speed rail project in the San Joaquin Valley.
Choudhury’s attorney, Allen Sawyer, described the situation as a “domestic incident” but insisted that no crime took place. He stated that the district attorney quickly determined there were no grounds for the case, calling it a “big nothing burger”.
Officials at the High-Speed Rail Authority did not respond to inquiries for further comments.
Choudhury has been a key advocate for Newsom’s highly scrutinized plan of establishing high-speed rail in California. Despite over $15 billion in expenditures, progress has been slow, with continuous delays and financial hurdles.
Governor Newsom has faced accusations of withholding information regarding costly rail projects, and both Choudhury and Staroshuk have not made any statements following the incident.
