A New York City man took an unusual and dangerous joyride on Sunday that ended with his SUV catching fire on train tracks, police said.
Basilio Hidalgo, 40, was arrested after allegedly driving his SUV onto the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) tracks, creating a fiery scene that disrupted train service and damaged equipment. The incident happened around 4:52 p.m., according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department (MTAPD).
Photos from the aftermath show Hidalgo’s black Honda SUV being hoisted off the tracks by a crane. Police say he drove about half a mile east along the train tracks, starting near the Elmont-UBS Arena station, before stopping just past the Bellerose Station. By then, two of the SUV’s tires had been destroyed and caught fire.
In a video that has since gone viral, the SUV is seen bouncing along the tracks before coming to a stop. According to MTAPD, the reckless ride caused “significant damage to the third rail and other track infrastructure.”
Authorities say they found Hidalgo sitting in the SUV when they arrived and arrested him without any trouble. He now faces several charges, including first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree criminal trespassing, and driving while intoxicated.
Thankfully, no one was hurt during the incident, but the disruption left a mark on the train system. Police are still investigating how and why Hidalgo ended up on the tracks in the first place.
