CITYWIDE

MTA TAKES OVER FIFTH PRIVATE BUS LINE

A fifth private bus line has been brought under the operation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Mayor Bloomberg yesterday announced that an agreement had been completed with Green Bus Lines, which operates 230 buses on 20 routes.

The MTA will take over running the buses along those local and express lines today. The bus lines, while privately owned, had functioned largely on city subsidies. Four other lines have already been transferred to the MTA, and the remaining two lines, Jamaica and Triboro, are expected to be taken over by the MTA this winter, Mr. Bloomberg said.

– Associated Press

‘PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’ POISED TO SET RECORD

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ will be the longest-running show in Broadway history tonight when the curtain rises for performance no. 7,486, Reuters reported yesterday.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

STATEWIDE

STATE’S TRAFFIC LAWS SAID AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY

New York’s traffic safety laws are among the best in the nation but still fall short in some key areas, an auto safety watchdog group said in a study last week. Just 16 states, including New York, and the District of Columbia earned “green” ratings in the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety report.

States get an overall rating based on the total number of recommended highway safety laws they have out of a list of 14, according to the report. Thirty states received “yellow” ratings. Alaska, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming were judged to have the worst traffic safety laws and got “red” ratings. Alaska, for example, has no all-rider motorcycle helmet law, and no sobriety checkpoints law. The report generally praised New York for passing laws it says help save lives on the highways.

– Associated Press

POLICE BLOTTER

ONE DEAD, TWO INJURED AFTER HIT AND RUN

A Long Island man was arrested and charged with drunk driving in an accident yesterday that left one person dead and two others injured, police said. The accident occurred yesterday around 5:45 a.m. when Reginald Gustave, 23, of Valley Stream, was speeding home from a Queens nightclub and ran a red light at the intersection of Guy Brewer Boulevard and North Conduit Avenue in Queens, police said. Mr. Gustave’s Nissan Altima struck a Land Rover, causing it to spin 180 degrees, police said. The Nissan skidded to a stop when it hit a light post.

The impact killed Joseph Cajuste, 25, of Miramar, Fla., who was riding in the front passenger seat in Mr. Gustave’s car, police said. Two others – a passenger of Mr. Gustave’s car and the driver of the other car – reported minor injuries and were treated at local hospitals, police said.

Police said Mr. Gustave climbed through the front side window and fled on foot, but turned himself in several hours later. He faces several charges, including driving while intoxicated and second-degree manslaughter, according to police.

– Special to the Sun

MAN ARRESTED IN STRING OF ROBBERIES

A Brooklyn man was arrested yesterday and charged with robbing three Brooklyn women, police said. Freddy Santos, 32, was arrested at his home on Troy Avenue shortly after noon when law enforcement officers convinced him to surrender, police said yesterday.

Mr. Santos allegedly robbed three middle-aged women in Bay Ridge in the last three weeks, and reportedly displayed a gun to at least two of them. Police said Mr. Santos did not assault the women, but he stole an unknown amount of cash from each one.

Mr. Santos’s father, Sigfredo Santos, 60, a Transit Authority employee who was in the home at the time, was also arrested and charged yesterday with obstructing government administration.

– Special to the Sun