Man accused of shooting East St. Louis MetroBus driver is indicted

The St. Louis Grand Jury on Wednesday indicted the man accused of shooting a MetroBus driver from East St. Louis.

Isaiah Houston, 31, was indicted on eight felony and 11 misdemeanor counts on Wednesday in connection to the shooting at two MetroBuses on Dec. 3 near North Hanley and Airport Road. He also was charged for attempting to flea police three days later, according to a release from the court.

Jonathan Cobb, an East St. Louis resident and the driver of the bus, suffered “catastrophic injuries from the shooting,” according to the release.

Houston was charged with one of first-degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, shooting at a motor vehicle, one count of resisting arrest, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, and 11 counts of fourth-degree assault.

The indictment combines two cases previously charged separately against Houston regarding the Dec. 3 shooting and Dec. 6 evasion of arrest.

The Major Case Squad investigated both incidents.

“The safety of citizens on public transit should be a basic right and protection,” said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell in a statement. “Anyone who endangers the operators and passengers of this essential public service will be held accountable by this office and our law enforcement partners.”

Houston is being held without bond.