A San Diego jury awarded $8.5 million Friday to the family of a man who was aboard an MTS bus when another passenger placed him in a chokehold for more than eight minutes, causing him to fall unconscious and die.

The lawsuit from the family of 28-year-old Anthony McGaff faulted the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System because it alleged a bus driver refused to pull over while McGaff was being restrained during an altercation on April 30, 2022.

Jurors found MTS 40% at fault for his death, while also assigning 60% fault to three bus passengers, including Edward Hilbert, the passenger who restrained McGaff.

Hilbert was initially arrested on suspicion of murder, but prosecutors charged him with involuntary manslaughter. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the manslaughter count and was sentenc

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