Albany

A former mechanic for the Capital District Transportation Authority filed a federal lawsuit Thursday alleging his co-workers held him down and pressed their genitals into his head two years ago as part of a bizarre hazing ritual that took place on his last day at work for the authority.

The lawsuit — which names CDTA and six employees as defendants, including CEO Carm Basile — seeks unspecified damages and claims the November 2013 incident caused the mechanic to suffer "severe anxiety and depression" and "seek psychological counseling" as a result of what happened. In addition to civil rights violations, the claim states that the incident was an assault under state law.

The federal lawsuit includes a photograph of the incident depicting the former mechanic, Kevin Hoit, pinned face-down on the ground while two men, including one wearing a CDTA uniform, are straddled over him. One of the men has his pants pulled down and is kneeling over Hoit's head. The photograph shows a CDTA bus in the background and another person in a blue CDTA shirt taking photos.

In addition, another supervisor also allegedly photographed the incident, according to the lawsuit.

"This had a significant impact on my client. He was really upset about it and had to seek psychological treatment as a result of it," said Hoit's attorney, Elmer R. Keach III. "It went on for a significant amount of time ... and was clearly an act of sexual degradation."

Jaime Watson, a CDTA spokeswoman, said they had not received a copy of the lawsuit, which was filed late Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Albany. CDTA officials were aware of the allegations because Hoit previously filed a notice of his intent to file a lawsuit.

"Until we have more information it is premature for us to comment," Watson said.

The lawsuit claims at least one of the CDTA workers involved in the incident had a history of sexual harassment complaints and that the authority "failed to institute an appropriate training regiment on sexual harassment. ..."

A CDTA employee uploaded a photograph of the incident on a Facebook page and information about the incident was shared in the industry as far as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City, according to the federal complaint.

The incident unfolded about 7 p.m. near the end of Hoit's last shift with CDTA. He alleges that one of his supervisor, Juan Baez, laughed and told him they had a "a going away present for him" and that Baez then dropped his pants and got on his knees. Hoit struggled to get away but was held down by another employee, Tony Clanton, who weighed approximately 300 pounds, according to the lawsuit.

Watson said Baez was "terminated immediately" following the incident.

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