CTA Red Line passengers tackled man who attacked pregnant conductor: prosecutors

A man attacked a pregnant CTA conductor aboard a Red Line train early Saturday before passengers took him down until officers arrived to the North Side station, Cook County prosecutors said at his bond court hearing on Sunday.

Saman Khaliq Griffiths, 19, has been charged with a felony count of aggravated battery to a transit employee, prosecutors said.

About 2:45 a.m. Saturday, the 28-year-old conductor, who was 6 months pregnant, made a regular stop at the Red Line Sheridan station in the Lake View neighborhood, prosecutors said. She peeked her head out of the conductor’s window to check if passengers were finished getting on and off the train and saw Griffiths walking toward her.

When Griffiths got to the front of the train, he reached through the window and grabbed the conductor by the shirt, prosecutors said. She shook loose and stepped away from the window, but Griffiths crawled through the window and into the conductor’s cabin.

He again pulled on her shirt then grabbed her pants and pulled them down, prosecutors said. She broke free again and went into the passenger area of the train car, where a group of passengers confronted Griffiths and took him to the ground.

Chicago Police officers arrived to find the passengers still holding Griffiths on the ground, prosecutors said.

The conductor had a bruised face and was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital for treatment, police records show. Griffiths, who was drunk, was taken to Thorek Hospital with cuts and bruises to his face, prosecutors said.

Cook County Judge David R. Navarro on Sunday set bail at $10,000 for Griffiths. He’s next scheduled to appear in court on March 2.