WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A man has been charged in connection with a violent altercation on a Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus that left another man seriously injured. Efrain Castillo, 33, of Salt Lake City, was arraigned on aggravated assault charges after an incident that turned troublingly violent.
The confrontation occurred on December 28, 2025, when UTA police responded to reports of a stabbing on a bus in Salt Lake County. Officers arrived to find the victim, identified as Bayan Mims, lying near the bus with visible injuries to his neck.
Investigators learned that the dispute began when Castillo became frustrated after the bus failed to stop at his desired location. Mims attempted to explain that construction prevented the bus from stopping at that specific point, suggesting an alternative nearby stop. This prompt, however, appeared to escalate the conflict.
Witnesses reported that Castillo confronted Mims, allegedly asking, “Do you think this is a joke?” before lunging at him with a knife. The attack resulted in serious injuries: Mims suffered a substantial stab wound to his torso just inches from his colon and liver, in addition to stab injuries to his scalp and left shoulder.
Authorities noted that witnesses supported Mims’ version of events, confirming that he had no prior interactions with Castillo prior to the incident. The seriousness of the assault has shocked the local community, leading to heightened discussions about bus safety and public transportation security.
Following the assault, emergency services transported Mims to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. The legal proceedings against Castillo have commenced, with the courts set to address the severity of the charges he faces.
As investigations continue, Castle remains in custody, and the implications of this incident are likely to prompt reviews of safety protocols on public transit systems. Community members are now calling for enhanced measures to prevent similar assaults from occurring in the future.