If you’ve been following the recent Reddit post about Derek Seehausen, a lot of people have mentioned that Derek could have got on a bus.
Whether or not Derek got on a bus or not, for the purposes of this post, let’s assume he did.
Here we use both text and pictures to lay out the Metro buses he could have taken at that time of night, the routes for each of them, as well as any possible areas of interest that each route intersects or comes close to.
Facts:
Derek’s last known sighting was on Wednesday, August 5 at 12:02am. He was walking Northbound at 1202 N. Alvarado:
Derek was not seen on the camera further North at the Glendale intersection:
Assumption: Derek took a bus.
4 likely bus stops. 5 likely routes.
Google Map of all 4 stops | Click the links in this section to jump forward:
For this post, we are assuming Derek took a bus. As such, it is within the realm of possibility and likelihood that Derek went to one of four possible bus stops in his last direction of travel (North).
In the picture above, note that two of these stops are located on the same block as the Vons where he withdrew $200 from an ATM earlier that evening, and that all four bus stops are near it.
There are only 3 possible buses that could have been taken from these locations after the time of Derek’s last sighting: the 2, the 200, and the 92.
Each of buses these travels in a different direction (N/S, E/W), although 1 route is somewhat unlikely.
This leaves a total of 6 possible and 5 likely bus routes:
Stop near the intersection of Montana and Liberty
Stop near the intersection of N. Alvarado and Montana
- 2 Sunset – Alvarado (Eastbound)
- 200 Echo Park / USC (Southbound)
- 200 Echo Park (Northbound) – Unlikely, but possible. This route only goes a couple blocks before turning around.
- 603 Glendale Galleria – Bus not running after the time of Derek’s last sighting. (Schedule)
- 603 Grand Sta / LA Trade Tech & Glendale Galleria – Bus not running after the time of Derek’s last sighting. (Schedule)
Stop near the intersection of Glendale Blvd and Montana
Stop near the intersection of Glendale Blvd and Montana
Notes:
It’s worth remembering that Derek owned a car, so you also have to speculate exactly why he would have taken a bus. (Altered state, wanted to disappear, etc.)
There is no forensic evidence (that we know of) on Derek’s computers, phone and iPad that suggests he viewed bus schedules or routes on the day of his disappearance or any time in the weeks before. However, since we can place him at the Vons earlier that evening, it is possible he could have looked at posted schedules. In the case of the 200 Echo Park / USC (Southbound), the destination is clear and would not necessitate knowledge of the route. He also simply could have just gotten on the first bus available – on a whim.
Video footage on Metro buses is recorded over after 3 days, thus video from that night no longer exists.
It is a leap of logic to assume Derek would not have had proper change for bus fare after withdrawing $200 from the ATM. It’s important to remember the timeline of events. Derek withdrew the $200 at 10:35pm, then went home and to return the keys at Wilshire. It is completely possible Derek would have had change for bus fare on him, or that he could have obtained it at home or elsewhere in the 90 minutes between the ATM withdrawal his last known sighting.
This post should be considered a work in progress. The data here was collected from online sources, and assumes all things were equal: buses ran as scheduled, buses were not cancelled that evening, routes did not deter from the path shown, etc.
The goal of all this is to provide Derek’s friends, investigators and the public with a visual reference for the various possibilities for bus travel Derek would have had that evening. If you see something of interest on the maps (click the pics to pop Google Maps) that you think Derek may have been interested in that we have not accounted for, provide us with feedback at this site, on the this thread of the Reddit post, or via HelpFindDerek.com.
Stop near the intersection of Montana and Liberty (Map)
2 Sunset – PCH (Westbound)
The Westbound schedule shows a nearby stop at Sunset & Echo Park at approximately 12:07am – 5 minutes after the last known sighting at 1202 N. Alvarado.
As Derek loved the water, one might speculate he’d go there – if for nothing else than to think about things by the ocean. At any other time, this bus would normally go to Will Rogers Beach. However, since this was the final bus of the day, the route terminated in Sepulveda Canyon, at Church Lane and Sunset Boulevard, at approximately 1:01am. This is near the 405 (San Diego Freeway), the Luxe Hotel on Sunset, near the Hotel Angeleno on N. Church Lane.
Notable on this route:
This route goes directly by UCLA Medical Center.
As Derek was a hiker/outdoorsman, this is also close to a number of interconnected, big wilderness / recreation / State Park areas.
Arguments against:
Reddit user LAhiker points out that Derek could have caught the #2 earlier at closer stops on his known foot path:
To get downtown at that hour, he could have just stopped at the SW corner of Park and Sunset; there was a #2 at 12:20am and #4 buses at 12:03am, 12:13, 12:23, etc. To go west on Sunset, he could have crossed Sunset to the NW corner of Sunset and Park and taken a #2 at 12:07am or 12:19am.
Instead, he went west on Sunset and crossed at Alvarado. There’s a major bus stop right there on the NE corner; I think the westbound #2 buses just mentioned stop there at that hour. He passed that stop.
LAhiker also points out (and this needs confirmation):
As far as I know, the #2 bus only goes past those points when it’s the “short line” — the express version of the 2 (the 302, which only runs during rush hour) or occasional short runs of the 2 itself which don’t go further east than Alvarado… But as far as I know, the #2 usually doesn’t even go past those stops — it goes up and down Sunset.
Stop near the intersection of N. Alvarado and Montana (Map)
2 Sunset – Alvarado (Eastbound)
The Eastbound schedule shows a nearby stop at Sunset & Echo Park at approximately 12:21am – 19 minutes after the last known sighting at 1202 N. Alvarado.
This bus goes to Broadway & Venice in Downtown LA, before looping back to become a Westbound bus. This is essentially the bus through the center of Downtown LA (Grand Park, the LA Times, the Bradbury Building, LA Superior Court, etc).
Arguments against:
Reddit user LAhiker points out (and this needs confirmation):
As far as I know, the #2 bus only goes past those points when it’s the “short line” — the express version of the 2 (the 302, which only runs during rush hour) or occasional short runs of the 2 itself which don’t go further east than Alvarado. Now, maybe there is a “short line” late at night, and maybe drivers let passengers board at that point, whether routinely or as a favor… But as far as I know, the #2 usually doesn’t even go past those stops — it goes up and down Sunset.
200 Echo Park / USC (Southbound)
The Southbound schedule shows a nearby stop at Montana & Logan at approximately 12:33am – 31 minutes after the last known sighting at 1202 N. Alvarado.
Notable on this route:
This route goes directly to USC’s main campus.
Arguments against:
Reddit user LAhiker points out that if Derek wanted to take the 200 south, he could have taken it earlier on hi foot path: To take the 200 bus south to USC and downtown, he could have crossed Alvarado at Sunset – there’s a #200 bus stop right there on the NW corner. Instead, he continued north on Alvarado.
200 Echo Park (Northbound) – Unlikely, but possible.
The Northbound schedule shows a nearby stop at Montana & Logan at approximately 12:26am – 22 minutes after the last known sighting at 1202 N. Alvarado.
Notable on this route:
It is somewhat unlikely that he got on the “Northbound” bus (at this point it actually goes Southeast), as this bus goes a few blocks before looping at Echo Park Ave and becoming the Southbound (USC) bus. However, we don’t know if Derek was thinking logically or not, would have simply just wanted to get on the bus, or boarded it early to end up going the Southbound route – it can be considered and is thus included here.
Stop near the intersection of Glendale Blvd and Montana (Map)
92 – Downtown LA – Main – Olympic (Southbound)
The Southbound schedule shows a stop at Glendale & Montana at approximately 12:54am – 52 minutes after the last known sighting at 1202 N. Alvarado.
This is a very similar route as the 2 Sunset – Alvarado (Eastbound).
Stop near the intersection of N. Glendale Blvd and Montana (Map)
92 – Burbank Station (Northbound)
The Northbound schedule shows a stop at Glendale & Montana at approximately 12:27am – 25 minutes after the last known sighting at 1202 N. Alvarado.
This is a long route which ends in Burbank at approximately 1:03am.
Notable on this route:
Griffith Park is somewhat close to this route.
Tips
If you have tips about Derek, first and foremost: call the LAPD Missing Persons Unit: (213) 996-1801.
Secondarily, you can email tips on HelpFindDerek.com, or call Martin Investigative Services at (800) 577-1080.
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