FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 

NOVEMBER 14, 2018

Robert Moran-Vasquez receives 7.5 year prison sentence for randomly attacking bus driver along I-84

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced 33-year-old Robert Moran-Vasquez received a 7.5 year prison sentence after he attacked a bus driver along Interstate 84 in East Multnomah County.

This investigation started on November 29, 2017 when the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a stabbing on a Greyhound bus that was traveling eastbound on I-84 near the exit for the Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site.

The driver of the bus, Mr. Clint Lawson, appeared before Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Gregory F. Silver on November 14, 2018 for Moran-Vasquez’s change of plea and sentencing hearing.

“I had a good career before the dreadful night of November 29, 2017 when Mr. Moran-Vasquez decided to try and crash the bus that I was driving with 28 passengers on board and then stabbed me in the neck causing my career to come to a halt at that time,” Mr. Lawson said in his victim impact statement, which was read by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

Lawson’s statement included, “Yes, Mr. Moran-Vasquez brought me and my wife to our knees, but with God’s grace, we will rebound and restart. I am very grateful to God for giving me the strength to bring that bus to a safe stop, saving those 28 other people from harm.”

"This case has two other heroes,” Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney David Hannon said in court.

SDDA Hannon credited Mr. Stephen Danca who was a passenger on the bus when the attack started. Mr. Danca suffered injuries trying to wrestle the defendant away from Mr. Lawson.

Mr. John Owens was also recognized for the steps he took to aid Mr. Lawson and Mr. Danca.

“Mr. Owens came charging in just like Mr. Danca did to protect and defend Mr. Lawson as well as the 28 other people on that bus,” SDDA Hannon said in court.  "Those three people saved lives…and this could have gone much worse."

The investigation revealed that while the bus was in motion, Moran-Vasquez approach Mr. Lawson and demanded that he pull over. When Mr. Lawson refused, Moran-Vasquez threatened to kill Mr. Lawson. Witnesses told detectives that Moran-Vasquez grabbed the steering wheel and tried to drive the bus off the road during the attack.

According to previously filed court documents, during an interview with law enforcement, Moran-Vasquez admitted he was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the attack and that he had a warrant out for his arrest.

Through the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office’s Victim Assistance Program, Mr. Lawson’s wife said it has been “horrifying” to watch her husband experience the trauma and impact of what happened to him.

“Their lives have been changed forever and the future they planned together has been completely altered,” SDDA Hannon said in court. “It has been a challenging and difficult road for them.”

Moran-Vasquez pleaded guilty to two counts of assault in the second degree, one count of attempted assault in the second degree and two counts of recklessly endangering another person. Upon his release from prison, he will be on three years of post-prison supervision.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the East Multnomah County Major Crimes Team, the Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and the victim advocates who worked on this case.

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Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Phone: 503.988.6567

Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us