BART is being sued by the family of a woman who was killed after being forced into a train in San Francisco, who claims that the agency is to blame for permitting criminal activity at its terminals and trains.
A man shoved 74-year-old Corazon Dandan into an approaching train at the Powell Street Station on July 1, 2024, while she was riding BART to her home in Daly City from her 30-year career at a hotel in San Francisco Union Square.
According to BART police, Dandan fell on the platform after hitting her head on the train. Later, she passed away in a hospital from her wounds.
To make the lawsuit public, the Dandan family and their lawyers staged a press conference at the Powell Street Station.
Shortly after the incident, Trevor Belmont, 49, was taken into custody by police on the station platform. According to police records, Belmont—also known as Hoak Taing—has been implicated in almost two dozen criminal crimes in San Francisco since 2013.
In a press release on Wednesday, the Dandan family’s attorneys claimed that Belmont had been barred from the BART system due to his serial fare-gate jumping.
The lawsuit calls on BART “to take responsibility for its negligence, address all of the failures set forth herein that led to Corazon’s death, and improve safety for all riders.” It claims that BART has failed to make its stations safe on multiple occasions by implementing physical security measures or increasing safety staffing.
Along with statistics demonstrating that BART users, especially Asian American Pacific Islanders, do not feel safe using the system, the lawsuit also details a history of violent assaults and fatalities on the system. In order to stop such violent crimes, it also contains a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom requesting that he place California Highway Patrol personnel on the BART system.
A CBS News Bay Area question about BART’s response to the complaint was not answered Wednesday morning.
Belmont was accused of killing someone and seriously hurting someone who was already at risk. Belmont is also accused by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office of purposefully killing the victim while she was waiting. The alleged attack’s motive has not been determined by San Francisco police.
She was a telephone operator at several hotels, most notably the Westin St. Francis, according to Alvin Dandan, Dandan’s nephew, who spoke to CBS News Bay Area. He added that she continued to work since she enjoyed her job even if she didn’t need to.
He added that because she was “a night owl” and frequently rode the BART from Daly City to the Powell Street station, she loved working the night shifts.
“We told her it’s dangerous to BART stations,” he continued. “[The family] told her to stop doing the commute.”
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.