Mom says Greyhound left son stranded
BOISE – A Pocatello mother has sued Greyhound Lines, accusing the bus company of abandoning her 14-year-old son halfway through a trip because he was considered too young to travel alone at night.
Lawyers for Dallas-based Greyhound asked last Friday to have the lawsuit moved to federal court. It was filed earlier this year in Idaho’s 6th District Court.
Richard Greener, a Boise attorney representing Greyhound, said Monday he could not comment on the lawsuit other than to say that Greyhound is vigorously defending itself.
In the lawsuit, Susan Ashton contends Greyhound allowed her to buy a round-trip ticket for her 14-year-old son, Micah Ashton, to Roseville, Calif. All five bus drivers on the way to California reviewed the boy’s ticket, which included his age, Susan Ashton states in the lawsuit. But when Micah tried to board the bus for his return trip from Roseville, that driver allegedly refused to let Micah on the bus because company policy prohibits children under 15 from traveling alone at night.
Susan Ashton called Greyhound officials. She contends they said they would make an exception and allow Micah to travel home on the bus. Micah made it as far as Sacramento, where another bus driver refused to allow him to board, leaving the teen alone at 9 p.m., according to the lawsuit.
“The defendant refused to provide any aid or assistance to the abandoned minor child for five days until plaintiffs’ attorney contacted defendant’s corporate attorney and requested immediate attention to the matter,” Ashton said in the lawsuit.
During those five days, other family members apparently cared for Micah. Greyhound eventually arranged for Micah to fly to Salt Lake City, Utah, where family members picked him up, according to the lawsuit.
The Ashtons claim that they suffered emotional and mental anguish and loss of companionship between the mother and the son and that they may need therapy.
The Ashtons are seeking more than $169,000, according to court documents filed by Greyhound’s lawyers.