(The following report appeared on the Knoxville News Sentinel website on September 12.)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two homeless men who hopped onto a CSX railroad engine Tuesday night and demanded to be carried out of town have been charged with misdemeanors, a Knoxville Police Department spokesman said today.
Tracy Davidson, 38, and Rodney Jackson, 34, were charged with criminal trespassing and public intoxication following the incident, said KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk.
They were held at the Knox County Detention Facility in lieu of $1,000 bonds each.
The FBI has inquired about the incident but it’s unclear whether any federal charges will be placed, DeBusk said.
The men hopped onto a stopped CSX train that was parked on the tracks parallel to Volunteer Blvd. just after 10 p.m. Tuesday and ordered the engineer to carry them out of town, police said.
The engineer ordered them off the train but they ran down the tracks and hopped onto another engine, prompting the CSX employee to call police. It turned out the two men had been drinking alcohol and were unarmed.
DeBusk said the men didn’t explain their actions to officers.