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Have you ever been so drunk that you confused the road with train tracks? If the answer is yes, then you shouldn’t have been driving! One Brooklyn man caused chaos while driving his SUV on railroad tracks until his tires caught on fire. 

Brooklyn man faces DWI and other charges for driving on train tracks 

Basilio Hidalgo has been charged with DWI, trespassing, and reckless endangerment after driving his SUV on train tracks. 

The 40-year-old man drove his Honda SUV onto the tracks west of Elmont-UBS arena station, disrupting rail service on the branch of the Long Island Railroad for hours. 

According to ABC 7 NY, Hidalgo the incident occurred around 5 pm Sunday on the LIRR Main Line between the Bellrose and Floral Park stations. 

He made it about half a mile before his tires caught on fire and forced the SUV to stop. The Floral Park Fire Department rushed to extinguish the flames. But the fire caused significant damage to the third rail and surrounding infrastructure. 

Police officers apprehended Hidalgo in minutes, but the clean-up process caused substantial delays for the Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay, and Ronkonkoma branches. 

Crews had to use a hydraulic lift designed to ride on the tracks to pull the SUV off of the track and repair damage to the tracks and third rail to restore service to the Main Line fully. It took hours. 

Regular LIRR riders were surprised that this incident was even possible. However, Hidalgo entered the track around the Elmont UBS Arena at grade level. 

The surrounding land is at the same elevation as the tracks. Riders suggest making it more difficult to access the tracks. But perhaps a better solution would be to not drive under the influence. 

The MTS police are leading an ongoing investigation, which is still in the early stages. But I would love to know what substances Hidalgo had in his system! 

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.