Cloudy with occasional light rain throughout the day. High 51F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..
Rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low around 45F. S winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.
Updated: February 18, 2026 @ 1:49 pm
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The top official at a California agency running the state's long-delayed bullet train project is taking a leave of absence after he was arrested earlier this month over allegations of domestic violence.
Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, was arrested Feb. 4 in the city of Folsom outside Sacramento, according to police Lt. Lou Wright. The Folsom Police Department did not share additional details on the episode.
The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office did not press charges against Choudri or ask him to appear in court, his lawyer Allen Sawyer said. Choudri chose to take “a few days” away from his job, Sawyer said.
"While my client appreciates that this legal matter has been thoroughly evaluated, his family needs time to privately process and heal," he said in a statement. "He remains committed to his work, and this short absence will also give the board space to independently review the conclusions of the legal process.”
The county district attorney's office, California High-Speed Rail Authority and state transportation agency didn't immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
Choudri's arrest came to light this week after KCRA-TV in Sacramento first reported it.
The rail authority appointed him to the post in 2024 after he'd worked on high-speed rail systems in Europe. Choudri has been tasked with reinvigorating the nation’s largest infrastructure project amid skyrocketing costs and the withdrawal of federal funding by the Trump administration.
The project's goal is to connect riders between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Choudri told The Associated Press last year that he wanted to get involved with the project to “completely turn it around” and stabilize its funding. He's been trying to partner with the private sector to help fund the project.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers last year approved $1 billion annually for the project through 2045 from revenues the state receives from its cap-and-trade program, which aims to reducing planet-warming pollution from large emitters.
California voters first approved $10 billion in bond money in 2008 to cover about a third of the estimated cost with a promise the train would be up and running by 2020. Years past that deadline, the authority has said the project could now cost upwards of $120 billion.
Associated Press writer Olga R. Rodriguez in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
Sat, 2/28, 1-4 pm Congregational Church, San Mateo and Sun, 3/1, 10am-noon, First Presbyteri… Read moreHEAR NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION - AND DEMOCRACY - ADVOCATE REV. JIM ANTAL IN SAN MATEO AND PALO ALTO
With playing described as “stylish and full of fire,” Ensemble Mirable has captivated listen… Read moreEnsemble Mirable: Baroque Masterpieces on period instruments
“Powerful, moving, and exhilarating” Read moreSongs For A New World
Exclusive film screening in San Mateo Read moreA LITTLE FELLOW: THE LEGACY OF A.P.GIANNINI
Connie Weiss said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.