With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Man Charged With Intentionally Derailing Train Near Hospital Ship At LA's Port
A woman hangs a flag near the US Navy Hospital ship Mercy after it docked in L.A. (Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images)
()
A train engineer has admitted that he intentionally derailed a locomotive off the end of its tracks at the Port of Los Angeles, crashing through multiple barricades near the Navy hospital ship Mercy on Tuesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Eduardo Moreno, 44, of San Pedro, faces a federal charge of train wrecking, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.
A CHP officer allegedly witnessed the crash and arrested Moreno when he tried to flee the scene. That officer, according to court filings, saw:
“[T]he 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.”
Support for LAist comes from
The U.S. Attorney’s office said in a press release that Moreno admitted in two separate interviews he had steered the train off its tracks because he was suspicious of the Navy hospital ship and thought it was part of a government takeover or had some other nefarious purpose.
Moreno allegedly told the CHP officer at the scene yesterday afternoon:
"You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don't know what's going on here. Now they will. At night, they turn off the lights and don't let anyone in. I'm going to expose this to the world. When was the last time you went to Dodgers' stadium? We might not be able to go again."
“Moreno stated that he thought that the U.S.N.S. Mercy was suspicious and did not believe ‘the ship is what they say it’s for,” the affidavit said.
No one was injured in the crash, and the Navy medical ship was not damaged — but the train came to rest close to three vehicles with people inside, and it leaked a “substantial” amount of oil that had to be cleaned up by fire department and hazmat teams.
Video recorded inside the train show Moreno holding a lighted flare inside the cab, according to Los Angeles Port Police.
Moreno is set to make his first appearance in federal court this afternoon.
Support for LAist comes from
The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy arrived on Friday morning to support Los Angeles’ pandemic response. It is accepting non-coronavirus patients to ease the burden on local hospitals so they can focus on testing and treating COVID-19 cases.
At his evening press briefing, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti was asked if the derailment will affect the Mercy ship's medical mission.
"That shouldn't in any way change the operations," Garcetti said. "We still have vehicle access, and we can get people in and out of there. And they have been accepting patients."
Garcetti added VA patients were among the first transferred to the floating Navy hospital.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist