SUV Driver's Joyride on New York Railroad Tracks Ends in Fiery Blaze — and DUI Charges: Police
Basilio Hidalgo, 40, was charged with DUI after he drove an SUV onto the Long Island Rail Road on Dec. 8
Basilio Hidalgo, 40, was charged with DUI after he drove an SUV onto the Long Island Rail Road on Dec. 8 MTAPD The SUV on the train tracks in New York on Dec. 8:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/MTAPD-Announces-Arrest-of-Suspect-Who-Drove-Vehicle-on-LIRR-Tracks-121124-1-7a5ea97e7670497492bce3ed581487f2.jpg "MTAPD Announces Arrest of Suspect Who Drove Vehicle on Main Line LIRR Tracks.")
A Brooklyn man has been arrested for driving his car along railroad tracks in New York.
Basilio Hidalgo, 40, was charged with driving while intoxicated (DUI) after he drove an SUV onto the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and caused a fiery blaze at around 4:52 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department stated in a release.
The suspect drove approximately “half a mile east” on the tracks before stopping after two tires of the vehicle became “severely damaged” and ignited, according to the release.
“Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department officers observed a black Honda Sport Utility Vehicle stopped on the Main Line tracks of the LIRR between Bellerose and Floral Park Stations,” MTAPD said, per the release.
“Detectives determined the alleged suspect drove onto the LIRR Main Line tracks from grade level, west of the Elmont-UBS Arena station.” The driver eventually stopped “just east of the Bellerose Station” as the fire started. MTAPD SUV is lifted off train tracks in New York
The Floral Park Fire Department arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was removed from the tracks at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Hidalgo was also charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal trespassing, per the release.
In a video of the incident posted on Instagram, an SUV can be seen driving bumpily across the tracks near Elmont-UBS Arena station.
The incident caused “significant damage to the third rail and other track infrastructure,” police said. MTAPD The car was removed off the track following the incident on Dec. 8
Related: I Survived Being Hit by a Train and Losing My Leg, Then Pulling Myself Off the Tracks (Exclusive)
There were also severe disruptions across train lines with significant delays on the Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson and Oyster Bay branches. Service was restored at Hempstead Branch ten minutes after the car’s removal.
Repairs were made to the tracks once the car was removed from the scene and the investigation is ongoing, per the MTAPD.
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"This kind of thing is very embarrassing for like being late and things like that because it can cause delay and its very dangerous," an LIRR rider said of the incident to ABC 7 New York,
"It's very weird. But it is unsettling no doubt. And if you're a passenger on the train? Yeah what would you think about that," they added.
