Teen Charged with Deliberately Derailing Nebraska Trains for ‘Insane’ Footage
A teenage suspect has been charged with two felonies for reportedly derailing trains in Nebraska on purpose in an effort to film “insane” footage to upload onto social media.
The 17-year-old, whose identity is not released due to his age, posted a video lasting five minutes onto YouTube of the derailment on Apr. 21, in Bennet, Nebraska, stating that it was the “MOST INSANE VIDEO I’VE EVER TAKEN!”
“Oh my God! Oh my frickin’ God!” He repeatedly said as he recorded the two locomotives and five fully loaded rail cars come off the tracks as they hit an empty one. Both locomotives remained upright. The incident caused $350,000 in damages.
The teen could be heard asking if everyone was okay after the accident. No one was harmed.
Fox Nebraska reported that he was the first one on the scene and approached an BNSF Railway Police investigator, showing him the footage and asking what caused the accident.
After the investigator told him that it was unknown, he responded that “obviously a switch was flipped the wrong way,” court records state.
He told the investigator that he was a train enthusiast when showing the video of the accident.
Investigators obtained a search warrant to seize both a 4K digital recorder and a cellphone that he used to film the derailment.
He was charged with two counts of criminal mischief causing damage worth more than $5,000.
Each count faces a $15,000 fine and up to seven years in prison.
One of the train conductors informed investigators that he noticed that a switch was misaligned as he approached a crossing.
He attempted to make an emergency stop but was unsuccessful as he reached the location where the switch was missing.
A padlock that was supposed to be attached to the switch was later found by the investigator, alerting him that it had been tampered with.
The teen denied being in the area and messing with the switch. In a report, the investigator wrote that he knew the location of the switch and how it worked, sparking suspicion.
After viewing surveillance footage from the area, investigators discovered that there was only one vehicle and driver around the area before the accident occurred.
According to the affidavit, a beige 1996 Buick Park Avenue was seen in the area. Moments later, the teenager was seen walking on the south side of the tracks toward the switch.
A motion was filed to transfer the case from juvenile court to county court. Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon said that his office is looking to charge him as an adult.
Leave a Comment