ESOPUS – Ulster County Sheriff’s deputies Wednesday said the train versus car crash that occurred Tuesday afternoon about 400 meters south of the Esopus Avenue railroad crossing in the Town of Esopus occurred when the driver of the 2022 Chevy Equinox intentionally drove the SUV onto the tracks.
He fled the scene and the train slammed into the vehicle damaging the angle cock on the train engine that had to be repaired by CSX mechanics on site.
The driver of the Equinox, identified as David Rivera, 31, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was located in a wooded area uninjured. He was disorderly and taken into custody, police said.
The investigation into the incident remains active.
The tracks remained closed for three hours before the train was repaired and the vehicle was removed.
