Man accused in Gresham attack banned permanently from TriMet

TriMet has issued a lifetime exclusion to Koryn Kraemer—the second lifetime ban in our agency’s history. Kraemer, age 25, has been charged in the brutal attack on the Cleveland Avenue MAX Station platform. The attack occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2023, when MAX service was not running. Kraemer was delivered the lifetime exclusion in jail, where he is being held without bail as he awaits prosecution on a charge of assault in the second degree. Previously, only Jared Walter, a prolific sex offender, had been banned from TriMet property for life. That permanent exclusion took effect in April 2019.

Long-term exclusions issued to two others

Brianna Workman is now banned from TriMet for the next five years. Workman, age 32, is currently being held in jail without bail on charges of attempted assault in the first degree, along with other charges. TriMet security cameras captured Workman push a child onto the MAX tracks from a busy platform at the Gateway Transit Center on the evening of Dec. 26, 2022.

Dustin Rasmussen is excluded for five years, through Dec. 31, 2027. Rasmussen, age 22, admitted striking a Transit Security Officer with handlebars detached from a bike on March 24, 2022, at the Gateway Transit Center. The security officer was transported to the hospital. Rasmussen was charged with assault in the second degree and unlawful use of a weapon, along with other charges.

“TriMet remains committed to safety and security on our system, and we support a collaborative approach with state and local leaders to address the societal issues at the root of the incidents occurring on our system and in the communities we serve,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue, Jr. “While we rely on our district attorneys to prosecute crimes, we are taking steps within our authority to increase safety, which includes banning people from our system who attack others and potentially pose future threats to our riders and employees.”

Long-term exclusions added to TriMet Code in September 2017

TriMet first added our long-term exclusion policy to the TriMet Code—our rules for operating and riding our transit system—in September 2017. Documented under TriMet Code 28.18, it allows the general manager to issue a long-term exclusion in excess of six months and up to a lifetime ban, under specific circumstances. The general manager can direct an individual receive a long-term exclusion if, based on a preponderance of evidence, they have committed “a serious physical offense” against another person on the TriMet system. A serious physical offense is one that is classified as either a Class A misdemeanor against another person or a felony against another person under Oregon law. A serious physical offense also includes any attempt to commit a felony against a person and any conduct prohibited by TMC 28.15 D(6)(c), which specifically calls out the offense of spitting or propelling other bodily fluids on an employee.

Chronic offenders now eligible for exclusions of up to two years

The policy and TriMet Code were further updated on January 13, 2023, to authorize the general manager to impose stiffer penalties for prohibited conduct on the transit system. The amendments address behavior-based conduct only, and do not change penalties for fare evasion.

The General Manager can issue an exclusion of up to two years to a chronic offender, which is defined as a person with three or more violations for conduct within a 90-day period. Long-term exclusions are specific to behavior that disrupts the safety and order of the transit system and do not apply to simple fare evasion.

Holding people accountable for criminal and inappropriate behavior

Long-term exclusions strengthen TriMet’s ability to help keep our riders and employees safe, by holding people accountable for inappropriate, threatening or dangerous behavior on our property and vehicles. While the district attorney’s office determines punishments for crimes, those punishments don’t always include long-term exclusions from TriMet. 

These changes are part of a larger effort to make it safer to work on and ride the transit system, while addressing nuisance issues to improve the customer experience. It’s important to note that any person issued a long-term exclusion, including a lifetime ban, is entitled to a hearing to contest it. Also, they have the right to appeal the ongoing exclusion annually to show changed behavior or rehabilitation.

Simple fare evasion not eligible for long-term exclusions

Long-term exclusions are issued for behavioral offenses only, not fare evasion. TriMet began decriminalizing fare evasion back in 2017. Efforts to improve the handling of fare evasion include:

• June 2017: Decriminalized fare enforcement by proposing a change in state law to allow TriMet to resolve fare evasion citations directly rather than citations automatically going to the court.
• July 2018: Reduced the punitive impacts of fare evasion penalties with potential for reduced fines, community service or enrollment in TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare program.
• December 2018: Changed TriMet Code to clarify that fare evasion only is not a crime and have discontinued routine fare checks by police.
• February 2022: Made additional changes to TriMet Code to further clarify that police do not conduct random fare checks by specifically prohibiting police from asking individuals for proof of fare. (Police officers may continue to be present during fare inspection activities by TriMet personnel and investigate other offenses, assist in identifying a person and intervene when needed for the safety of TriMet staff and riders. Only under the General Manager’s direction may Transit Police Officers temporarily conduct fare checks in response to specific security concerns.)

TriMet continuously works to improve how we provide transit service to the communities in our 533-square-mile service district. We’ve worked with community partners, riders and employees to identify solutions that focus on diversity, equity, access and inclusion. Learn more about our efforts to ensure fair access to our transit system at trimet.org/equity.