CHICAGO — A Mount Prospect man was arrested after he refused to move from the path of a packed Metra train Tuesday evening, police said.
The Daily Herald reports that Luke A. Moretti, 48, of 601 E. Prospect Ave., Apt. 1L, was charged with one count criminal trespass to property after the incident occurred about 5:20 p.m. along the Union Pacific Northwest line, police said.
Police do not think the man was trying to harm himself, Mount Prospect police Cmdr. John Dahlberg said. Moretti exhibited signs he was under the influence of alcohol, he said.
Mount Prospect authorities were called by Metra police who said Metra train 627 had stopped just before the Mount Prospect train station to avoid colliding with the man.
The train, heading west from Chicago, was loaded with about 600 people and was traveling on the southernmost track, Dahlberg said.
The engineer saw the man standing on the railroad tracks about five feet east of Elmhurst Road. He applied the train’s emergency brakes and came to stop about 25 feet from the man, Dahlberg said.
“The alertness of the Metra train engineer most likely spared this gentleman serious injury or death,” Dahlberg said.
Moretti continued to stand in the train’s way after the train sounded its horn and after Metra officials told him to move, police said. Police took the man into custody without any problems, Dahlberg said.
The man’s antics caused a 10-minute train delay and caused traffic to back up on Route 83 in both directions, police said.
Moretti was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 6 in Rolling Meadows.