Crime & Safety

Bus Drivers Helped Police Find Missing Lafayette Man

Officers say the bus drivers helped track the movements of the man who has learning disabilities

Lafayette police say some sharp-eyed bus drivers helped them track down a missing man with learning disabilities.

Hassan Hosham, 54, left a facility for disabled adults in downtown Lafayette about 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Lafayette Police Chief Eric Christensen said Hosham, an immigrant from Iran, has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old, speaks only Farsi and has a distrust of police.

After learning of his disappearance, Lafayette authorities sent out a description and received help from police departments in Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek.

The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department also provided a helicopter. The department's Search and Rescue Team also showed up with 40 people.

Christensen said the first break came when a bus driver called them, saying he remembered picking up Hosham at the Walnut Creek BART station.

The driver said Hosham spoke no English and had no money, so another rider paid for his fare.

The driver said he dropped Hosham in San Ramon and saw him get on a bus headed for the West Dublin/Pleasanton BART station.

That bus driver told police another passenger had paid Hosham's fare. She said she dropped him off at the station and saw him walking toward the BART terminal.

Dublin and BART police were then contacted. They got in touch with another bus driver who said Hosham was on his bus headed for the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station.

Pleasanton and Lafayette police got to the bus and found Hosham, who was scared and confused. He was driven back to his family.

"In the end, we had a lot of help from our residents, our other law enforcement agencies and some heroes that don't normally get the credit for the things they do - the dispatchers and drivers of Contra Costa Transit," said Christensen. "They were the key to resolving this issue when we did.  Without their help, we might still be out there."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.