Man, 18, Arrested in Beating of Bus Driver : Violence: Gang member was friend of minibike rider killed by vehicle, police say. Second suspect is being sought.

Police arrested an 18-year-old man Tuesday in the beating of an MTA bus driver who was involved in a fatal traffic accident in South-Central Los Angeles.

MTA bus driver Donald DeBoe, 57, remained in critical but stable condition late Tuesday at County-USC Medical Center.

DeBoe, of Fontana, was attacked by two men Monday afternoon after his bus struck and killed Jafar Broussard, 20, who reportedly failed to stop at Broadway and 42nd Place.

The suspect, Bernard LeGrone, is a gang member who was a friend of Broussard’s, investigators said. Police said they did not know if Broussard was a gang member.

“He was just angry because his friend was killed,” said Lt. Jim Voge, commanding officer of the LAPD’s Newton Street Detective Division.

Police said they are continuing to look for a second suspect. LeGrone is expected to be charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

Voge said authorities were tipped off to LeGrone by a neighborhood resident. Witnesses then picked out a photograph of LeGrone.

“Somebody called us and said they felt LeGrone was involved in the incident and had talked about that incident,” Voge said.

The young man on the minibike, which had no brakes, was riding without a helmet, police said.

After DeBoe left the bus to check on the man’s condition, two bystanders punched him in the head, police said.

There were about 35 passengers aboard the bus--and a large crowd on the street--but no one came to the driver’s aid, officials said. “It’s terribly tragic nobody came to the driver’s aid,” MTA spokeswoman Andrea Greene said.

But Clara Potes-Fellow of MTA asked, “How could you expect passengers to intervene if they don’t feel prepared to face two angry men and don’t know whether they’re armed?”

DeBoe was unconscious when paramedics arrived.

A memorial of candles and flowers was left on the sidewalk near the accident site as a tribute to Broussard.

“The family does not condone in any way what occurred to the bus driver,” Voge said.

The MTA, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the United Transportation Union posted a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the assailants.