Man charged after CTA worker attacked, pushed onto tracks on Blue Line
A man was charged after police said he attacked a 70-year-old Chicago Transit Authority worker on the Blue Line in the West Loop Thursday morning.
According to Chicago police, Amid Cordova, 23, has been charged with multiple felony counts of aggravated battery, including aggravated battery to a transit employee.
Around 7 a.m. the CTA customer service agent was attacked at the Grand Blue line station, in the subway near the six-way intersection of Milwaukee and Grand avenues and Halsted Street.
The customer service agent had left the booth, and police said a man punched him and then shoved him onto the tracks. The CTA employee was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
CBS News Chicago has learned the man was a 27-year veteran of the CTA. The union representing CTA workers is now pushing for more security.
CBS News Chicago's cameras were rolling as police responded.
"A passenger threw him onto the tracks," said Pennie McCoach, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 308. "A Good Samaritan and other customers and a coworker assisted him off the right of way off the track."
Cordova is expected in court for a detention hearing on Friday.