Local News

Charge Dropped For Woman Beaten On Bus

BALTIMORE (WJZ) ― Prosecutors in Baltimore have dropped assault charges brought against a woman by one of the suspects in the woman's beating.

The teen is one of nine charged, but she claims she's the real victim.  She says she was hit seven times by the woman she's charged with assaulting.

But the state's attorney is not buying that.  Prosecutors say the facts didn't mesh with the teen's allegations. The teen's lawyer says her client was never even interviewed.

Mike Hellgren brings you the new twists in this high-profile case.

Police say Sarah Kreager was beaten by nine students leaving Robert Poole Middle School on an MTA bus in Hampden.

But one of those students claimed it was Kreager who instigated the attack.  The teen filed second-degree assault charges against her.

In the teen's handwritten account she says "Kreager punched me" that she had to "defend herself" and felt "her life was in danger."

"Finally she thought her voice was going to be heard and it is not, and it's disappointing," said defense attorney Kimberly Thomas.

Thomas is reacting to prosecutors' decision to drop those charges. 

"She became a victim for the state," Thomas said. "They're sticking to their guns, as far as who they believe is the victim in this case as opposed to investigating."

State's attorney spokesman Joe Sviatko denies that.

"After being unable to find any credible, corroborating evidence to back up these claims, in the interest of justice, we decided to go ahead and dismiss the charges," Sviatko said.

Several of the teens allege Kreager was already bruised when she got on the bus.

"We're investigating that matter--whether those injuries were pre-existing," said lawyer Jerry Tarud.

Tarud represents one of the accused.

"It just amazes me how the police department--within a few minutes--can lock up nine people," said Tarud.

"We review all cases based on the facts, the law, and the evidence--independent of each other--and we make a determining factor based on those three things," said Sviatko.

"Clearly Miss Kreager is not the angel as the state portrays her to be," said Tarud.

But prosecutors believe her injuries were clearly caused in the melee.
Trials are scheduled to start at the end of the month.

"We're preparing my client's defense.  We never stopped preparing her defense," said Thomas.

The camera onboard the bus was faulty, so there's no video of what may have happened.

This attack and several other acts of violence on MTA buses prompted a security crackdown. All but one of the unrelated cases involved juveniles.

The teens all face a judge Friday.  That could determine whether they'll remain detained in their homes.

The father of the teen who brought charges against Kreager released a statement Thursday.

"My daughter gave her statement and [she's] not being heard.  She cannot go to school and continue the activities that she took part in and she was the person who was assaulted.  I do not think it is fair that the children's side of the story is being ignored.  I love my daughter.  My daughter loves school and misses going to school. It is like she is a prisoner in our house.  My daughter got hurt that day and she is being punished.  No one really wants to talk about that. This really hurts her and me that this is happening this way--that she is being ignored," said William McDaniels.

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