Man Arraigned In Oregon Bus Hijacking

A man accused of attacking a driver and trying to hijack a Greyhound bus carrying 48 passengers was arraigned Monday on 18 counts of kidnapping and 19 counts of reckless endangering.

Jorge Luis Castillo, 26, was ordered held at the Baker County jail on $25,000 bail, Baker County Justice Court officials said.

Castillo also faces assault charges.

District Attorney Greg Baxter plans to take the case to a grand jury next week.

Police say the westbound bus was on Interstate 84 about 30 miles east of Baker City when a passenger began screaming at the driver, jerked the steering wheel and punched her in the face and upper body. The man threw the driver from her seat, and drove the bus across the median into the eastbound lanes.

The bus traveled over a 40-foot embankment, coming to rest on its wheels with its front end wedged on the shoulder of nearby U.S. 30.

Castillo then tried to hijack other vehicles that stopped to help, police said.

One man confronted him with a gun, but became distracted, and Castillo allegedly hit him over the head with a metal pipe.

Several others subdued Castillo with rope and duct tape until authorities arrived.