California Engineer Intentionally Derails Speeding Train Near Hospital Ship To 'Wake People Up'

KEY POINTS

The decision to derail the train was deliberate because he was suspicious of the “Mercy's intentions” and believed it was part of a “government takeover”
“You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to"
Nobody was reported to be injured from the crash

A California train engineer was arrested Tuesday after he intentionally derailed a speeding locomotive train off track in an attempt to crash into the USNS Mercy, the hospital ship treating non-COVID-19 patients at the Port of Los Angeles.

The speeding train crashed through a series of barriers and fences before halting more than 250 yards from the U.S. Navy hospital ship.

The 44-year-old train engineer, Eduardo Moreno, engaged in the act as he believed in a conspiracy theory that the government is covering up the ship's true purpose.

A California Highway Patrol officer who witnessed the crash immediately caught Moreno when he tried to escape from the scene. Moreno told officers and FBI investigators that he acted alone and his decision to derail the train was deliberate because he was suspicious of the “Mercy's intentions.” He believed it was part of a “government takeover”.

"Moreno stated that he acted alone and had not pre-planned the attempted attack," a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Central District of California said.

He believed that Mercy, which docked at the port last Friday to help the area hospitals free up spaces by boarding in non-coronavirus patients, was being used for something else. He told the officers that he knew this act of his would bring in media attention and that "people could see for themselves."

Moreno stated that "he did it out of the desire to ‘wake people up.'"

“You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to," he said, "People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.”

Nobody was reported to be injured in the crash but the firefighters immediately responded to the scene as the crash triggered a fuel spill that required an immediate hazardous materials cleanup.

Moreno was later turned over to the L.A. Port police and was charged with one count of train-wrecking. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Mercy became the largest hospital in L.A with around 1,000 beds dedicated to non-coronavirus patients. It began boarding in patients from the nearby hospitals from Sunday.