An allegedly intoxicated New York man was arrested after speeding his car down Long Island Railroad tracks before his vehicle burst into flames.
Basilio Hidalgo, 40, of Brooklyn, was charged with reckless endangerment, criminal trespass and driving while intoxicated Sunday after he was caught driving his black SUV on the tracks at the Elmont-UBS Arena station.
Video taken by a witness at the Elmont station showed the car making a bumpy ride along the tracks closest to the platform while trying to avoid stopped trains in the other two lanes.
Hidalgo seemed to be alone in the car as it sped down the main road, a Instagram video sample.
His car was seen stopped on the tracks by the MTA Police Department around 5 p.m. Sunday between the Bellerose and Floral Park stations after driving about a half mile along the railroad track.
The man’s trip ended after his tires were “severely damaged” and caught fire, causing “damage to the front of the SUV,” according to the MTA.
The Floral Park Fire Department was able to extinguish the flames, but not before they caused “significant damage to the third lane and other roadway infrastructure,” the organization said.
Hidalgo was immediately arrested.
Basilio Hidalgo, 40, Brooklyn, was charged with reckless endangerment, criminal trespass and driving while intoxicated Sunday after he was caught driving his black SUV on the tracks at the Elmont-UBS Arena station (pictured ).
Hidalgo appeared to be alone in the car and was driving the vehicle with both hands on the wheel along the main road.
His stunt caused major delays on several train lines, including Main Line, Ronkonkoma, Huntington and Oyster Bay services. Completely suspended service on the Hempstead branch for several hours.
The SUV was removed from the tracks around 8:30 p.m. Sunday after LIRR track maintenance workers used a hydraulic lift to remove it, according to the MTA.
Service was fully restored to the Hempstead branch at 8:40 p.m.
It is unclear how Hidalgo got onto the tracks or why he decided to drive on the railroad.
The investigation is ongoing.
Earlier this year, an MTA bus driver was hailed as a hero after seeing a five-year-old girl walking alone down the street.
Luis Jiménez, 60, was finishing his morning shift when something caught his fatherly attention: a five-year-old girl walking alone on the sidewalk near 160th and Broadway on Tuesday afternoon.
“We have a saying at the MTA: If you see something, say something,” Jimenez told ABC 7.
The man’s trip ended after his tires sustained “serious damage” causing “damage to the front of the SUV” and the tires caught fire. The SUV was removed from the tracks around 8:30 pm Sunday after LIRR track maintainers used a hydraulic lift to remove it.
It is unclear how Hidalgo got onto the tracks or why he decided to drive on the railroad.
“Well, I’ll do something with me,” he added with a smile.
The Harlem resident kept an eye on her through the front window for about a block before finally deciding to stop, call his operator, and call 911 for the passenger.
And with the help of the other passengers, Jiménez was able to get the girl, with her backpack still in her hand, onto the bus safely.
Her school had reported the girl missing after she didn’t show up for class.
Although he had no history of skipping school, he had a different plan for that particular day: skipping school to go to a pet store.
The little girl’s fish had recently died and she was on her way to replacing her beloved pet.
The five-year-old girl had already walked ten blocks away from the safety of her school when Jiménez saw her.