Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, will take a temporary leave of absence following his arrest on suspicion of domestic battery.
Choudri informed the agency’s board that he is not aware of any evidence of wrongdoing, according to a spokesperson. The spokesperson said Choudri voluntarily agreed to step aside to allow the board and its parent agency, the California State Transportation Agency, to review the matter.
“We are taking this matter seriously, consistent with our longstanding commitment to public responsibility, transparency, and accountability,” the spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the high-speed rail project will continue without interruption.
Choudri was arrested shortly after midnight on Feb. 4 at his home in Folsom, according to the Folsom Police Department. The 57-year-old was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery involving a spouse or partner.
His fiancée, 46-year-old Lyudmyla Starostyuk, was also arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery. Additionally, she was booked on suspicion of “cruel or inhuman corporal punishment” of a child, also a misdemeanor.
Police dispatch recordings reviewed by Inside California Politics indicate officers responded to a reported battery at a residence in the 500 block of Borges Court. A dispatcher relayed that a girl alleged her father’s fiancée pulled her hair and pushed her. Authorities later confirmed the case involves a minor and therefore includes a confidential victim.
Both Choudri and Starostyuk were booked into jail and later released.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against either individual. In a statement, the office said it takes domestic violence allegations seriously but determined there was insufficient evidence to establish a “dominant aggressor,” as required under state law, and therefore could not meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Choudri was appointed CEO of the state’s high-speed rail project in 2024. His arrest occurred the same night he attended an event with Gavin Newsom marking the completion of the Southern Railhead Facility in Kern County.
The governor’s office declined to comment, referring inquiries to the high-speed rail authority.