Ian Choudri, executive director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, was arrested Feb. 4 at his home in the 500 block of Borges Court on suspicion of domestic battery. He took administrative leave on Tuesday, February 17.
SACRAMENT- The head of the California High-Speed Rail Authority took a voluntary leave of absence Tuesday after news circulated about his recent arrest on suspicion of domestic assault against his spouse.
Ian Choudri was arrested on February 4 at his Folsom home in the 500 block of Borges Court.
The authority said in a statement Tuesday that Choudri agreed to take a temporary leave of absence to allow its board of directors and the California State Transportation Agency to review and evaluate the situation.
Choudri's attorney said Monday that the Sacramento district attorney's office declined to file charges in the case. A third party called police to Choudri's home, Choudri's lawyer told The Times.
“This matter has ended and no further action will be taken,” said Allen Sawyer, who represents Choudri.
The Sacramento district attorney's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Choudri is among the highest-paid state employees in California, having earned $563,000 last year, according to payroll records obtained by The Times from the state comptroller's office.
The High Speed Rail Authority did not respond to a question about whether Choudri would receive pay during his absence.
The board of directors is scheduled to meet on March 4.
The day before his arrest, Choudri had appeared with Gov. Gavin Newsom in Kern County to announce the completion of a 150-acre facility that would serve as a hub for construction of the high-speed rail project in the San Joaquin Valley.
California's grand vision for a bullet train, originally to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles, has become a flashpoint in national politics.
President Donald Trump and Republicans have seized on billions of dollars in cost overruns and slow progress to portray the project as a Democratic boondoggle and a waste of taxpayer money.
Newsom, eager to show some progress before leaving office, has refocused construction on a segment from Merced to Bakersfield. His office said earlier this month that 119 miles were under construction and that 58 structures, including bridges, overpasses and viaducts, had been completed.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority board of directors approved Choudri as executive director in August 2024. Newsom praised the decision and praised his more than 30 years of experience in the transportation sector.
Choudri replaced former CEO Brian Kelly, who retired. Choudri joined the agency from HNTB Corp., an infrastructure design firm where he previously served as senior vice president.
Choudri did not respond to requests for comment. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office directed questions to the High-Speed Rail Authority.
