12°
Watch video of the incident below.
MTA Police said a Honda SUV drove onto the LIRR’s main line tracks near the Elmont-UBS Arena station shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.
The vehicle made it nearly a half mile east before its damaged tires caught fire and it came to a stop between the Bellerose and Floral Park stations.
Floral Park firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, but the vehicle caused significant damage to the third rail and track infrastructure, police said.
Service on the Hempstead Branch was suspended, and delays rippled through the Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson, and Oyster Bay branches as crews made repairs and investigated.
The SUV’s driver, 40-year-old Basilio Hidalgo, of Brooklyn, was arrested at the scene. He is charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless endangerment, and criminal trespassing.
There were no reports of injuries.
Emergency crews, including the LIRR Fire Marshal, Nassau County Emergency Services, and the Floral Park Police Department, worked alongside MTAPD to clear the tracks and restore service.
Two tracks were reopened by 5:30 p.m. with speed restrictions, while the SUV was lifted off the tracks by a hydraulic lift around 8:30 p.m. Full service on the Hempstead Branch resumed at 8:40 p.m.
The incident is under investigation.
Video of the incident, shared by Instagram user longislandwiseguy, is below.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Central Islip and receive free news updates.
