Charges have been filed against a party bus rental company after an investigation into the death of a 24-year-old Connecticut native who fell out of a party bus on a Southern California freeway last year.
Christopher Joseph "C.J." Saraceno, whose family lives in Watertown, was ejected from a Ford F-550 party limo bus just north of Universal Studios Boulevard and landed on the Hollywood Freeway at 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, and was struck by oncoming traffic, according to the the California Highway Patrol.
He died at the scene.
The incident followed a night of partying at a popular North Hollywood bar and sushi restaurant.
Mario Mira, owner of Tokyo Delves, the owner of the North Hollywood restaurant owner that served Saraceno and his friends late on that Saturday said the group of 20 to 30 friends had been celebrating a birthday and he he noticed something a much smaller party bus picked them up than the one that initially dropped them off.
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a news release that his office has filed several criminal counts against the owner of Hyros Corporation, a party bus rental company officials said failed repeatedly to maintain safely operational vehicles.
“With the increased popularity of party buses, it is more important than ever that they comply with safety and maintenance laws,” Feuer said in a statement. “My office will take every step we can to assure these buses are safe, including filing cases like this.”
Ayrapet Kasabyan, 42, and Hyros Corporation were each charged with 12 criminal counts, including three counts of failure to comply with an out of service order; three counts of operating an out of service vehicle; three counts of failure to maintain a vehicle in safe condition; failure to maintain a vehicle door in safe condition; failure to maintain vehicle tires in safe condition; and failure to keep
maintenance or inspection records.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office also filed a probation violation against Hyros Corporation for a case in which the corporation is on probation for false advertising.
Saraceno graduated from Watertown High School in 2007. He attended Tufts University and is remembered back home for his successful hockey career.
