Friday, January 17, 2025
A Brooklyn man was arrested after driving his car on the Long Island Rail Road main line train tracks at 4:52 p.m. on Dec. 8 near the Bellerose and Floral Park train stations.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority police said that Basilio Hidalgo, 40, drove his black Honda SUV half a mile on LIRR train tracks, travelling from the Elmont-UBS Arena train station and coming to a stop east of the Bellerose station.
The SUV was stopped after two of the vehicle’s tires became severely damaged, causing front end damage to the SUV and the tires to ignite on fire, which was extinguished by Floral Park Fire Department, MTA police said. There was significant damage to the third rail and other track infrastructure.
Hidalgo was arrested at the scene.
The LIRR had to suspend service on the Hempstead Branch and recorded significant delays on the Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson, and Oyster Bay branches as police investigated. LIRR crewmembers eventually removed the car and the tracks were repaired.
The investigation into how the SUV entered onto the tracks is still ongoing, authorities said. The MTA police is leading the investigation along with the LIRR fire marshal, Nassau County Emergency Services, Floral Park Fire Department and the Floral Park Police Department.
Hidalgo is charged with reckless endangerment, criminal trespassing and driving while intoxicated.
