INDIANAPOLIS —A man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for setting fire to an IndyGo bus while it was in operation and endangering the lives of passengers.
DeMarcus McCloud, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of malicious damage to property receiving federal funds and one count of malicious damage to federal property, and he was also ordered to pay $1,790,685.23 in restitution.
According to court documents, on April 24, 2024, the Indianapolis Fire Department and IMPD responded to a fire at the bus stop at 38th and North Meridian Streets. The front half of Bus #1993 was engulfed in flames while transporting passengers along the Red Line.
Surveillance footage captured McCloud boarding the bus with a jug of liquid and two butane lighters. After sitting down, he discarded a lit cigarette on the bus floor and poured the flammable liquid down the aisle. He then ignited a piece of paper and threw it onto the puddle, causing an explosion before fleeing the bus.
One passenger, attempting to help direct traffic, suffered smoke inhalation due to a sudden change in wind direction and required hospital treatment.
Investigation revealed that just four days prior, McCloud had set a fire in a trash can at the IndyGo Red Line depot, causing significant damage. He has a criminal history spanning 25 years, including multiple felony convictions.
“This defendant’s reckless actions endangered innocent lives, destroyed public property, and wasted nearly $2 million in taxpayer-funded resources,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Federal dollars are invested in our communities to serve and protect the public, not to be torched by a violent repeat offender with no regard for human life."
