Feds: Man intentionally derailed LA train near hospital ship

A train engineer intentionally drove a speeding locomotive off a track at the Port of Los Angeles because he was suspicious about the presence of a Navy hospital ship docked there amid the coronovirus crisis, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

News 12 Staff

Apr 2, 2020, 1:16 AM

Updated 1,492 days ago

Share:

Feds: Man intentionally derailed LA train near hospital ship
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A train engineer intentionally drove a speeding locomotive off a track at the Port of Los Angeles because he was suspicious about the presence of a Navy hospital ship docked there amid the coronovirus crisis, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The locomotive crashed through a series of barriers and fences before coming to rest more than 250 yards (230 meters) from the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Mercy on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a release.
Nobody was hurt.
Eduardo Moreno, 44, was charged with one count of train wrecking, prosecutors said. It wasn’t immediately known if he has an attorney.
Moreno acknowledged in two separate interviews with law enforcement that he intentionally derailed and crashed the train near the Mercy, according to the criminal complaint.
“You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to,” Moreno told investigators, according to the complaint. “People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.”
Moreno said he was suspicious of the Mercy and believed it had an alternate purpose related to COVID-19 or a government takeover, an affidavit states. Moreno stated that he acted alone and had not pre-planned the attempted attack.
In an interview with FBI agents, Moreno stated that “he did it out of the desire to ‘wake people up,’” according to an affidavit.
“Moreno stated that he thought that the USNS Mercy was suspicious and did not believe ‘the ship is what they say it’s for,’” the complaint said.
Phillip Sanfield, spokesman for the Port of Los Angeles, said the locomotive never came close to the Mercy.
“It would have had to have gone several hundred yards through a parking lot and cross a water channel to reach the ship,” Sanfield said. “ The tracks are nowhere near the Mercy.”
The engineer wasn’t a port employee but apparently was working for Pacific Harbor Line Inc., a train company that handles cargo in the port and connects to major railroad lines, Sanfield said. The company didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
A small fuel leak was quickly controlled and port operations weren’t seriously affected, Sanfield said.
Moreno was arrested by a California Highway Patrol officer who witnessed the crash and captured him as he fled the scene. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Port of Los Angeles Police are now leading the investigation.
The CHP officer reported seeing “the train smash into a concrete barrier at the end of the track, smash into a steel barrier, smash into a chain-link fence, slide through a parking lot, slide across another lot filled with gravel, and smash into a second chain-link fence,” according to an affadavit.
The Mercy arrived in port this week to provide a thousand hospital beds to take the load of regional medical centers expecting a surge of COVID-19 patients.


More from News 12
3:52
I-95 in Norwalk closed until at least Monday following tractor-trailer fire

I-95 in Norwalk closed until at least Monday following tractor-trailer fire

1:39
 Warm and dry temps for Connecticut; cooler weekend expected

Warm and dry temps for Connecticut; cooler weekend expected

2:26
Gov. Lamont declares state of emergency in response to the I-95 tractor-trailer fire

Gov. Lamont declares state of emergency in response to the I-95 tractor-trailer fire

2:30
I-95 oil tanker fire disrupts local traffic through Norwalk; detours, closures in place

I-95 oil tanker fire disrupts local traffic through Norwalk; detours, closures in place

3:14
Visit Ridgefield, Connecticut's first 'cultural district' in the state

Visit Ridgefield, Connecticut's first 'cultural district' in the state

2:39
Racist social media posts ignite outrage in Wilton community

Racist social media posts ignite outrage in Wilton community

  Police: Apparent grenade found in Bridgeport

Police: Apparent grenade found in Bridgeport

0:36
Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

2:22
Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

0:35
Mets foundation partners with America's Vet Dogs to raise future service dog

Mets foundation partners with America's Vet Dogs to raise future service dog

1:53
Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

2:14
Investigation underway after 4 dogs die in Milford car fire

Investigation underway after 4 dogs die in Milford car fire

0:32
 Police: Meriden man accused of suffocating victim in front of her child

Police: Meriden man accused of suffocating victim in front of her child

0:36
'Difficult decision.' UConn president addresses arrests of students and encampment teardown

'Difficult decision.' UConn president addresses arrests of students and encampment teardown

0:24
Charges upgraded to father of 2-year-old found buried in a shallow grave in 2023

Charges upgraded to father of 2-year-old found buried in a shallow grave in 2023

0:36
'Difficult decision.' UConn president addresses arrests of students and encampment teardown

'Difficult decision.' UConn president addresses arrests of students and encampment teardown

0:39
Jonathan Cubit visits students at Franklin Elementary School in Stratford

Jonathan Cubit visits students at Franklin Elementary School in Stratford

1:38
Scholar Athlete: Keira Cunniffe

Scholar Athlete: Keira Cunniffe

1:48
Volunteers prep for Minks to Sinks sale to benefit Family and Children's Agency

Volunteers prep for Minks to Sinks sale to benefit Family and Children's Agency

1:54
Stamford’s BOE reinstates Columbus Day, Veterans Day in school holiday calendar

Stamford’s BOE reinstates Columbus Day, Veterans Day in school holiday calendar