Criminal Charges Against LIRR Operator

MINEOLA, N.Y. - A New York prosecutor says criminal charges have been filed against a Long Island Rail Road engineer and the
passenger he allowed to drive a train.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said William Kutsch of New York City and the engineer, Ronald Cabrera, have been charged with reckless endangerment.

Cabrera, of Centereach, also was charged with official misconduct.

They are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges in First District Court in Hempstead on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on July 2. Police said the New York City bound train ran smoothly and no one was injured.

The railroad has called the allegations "extremely serious and troubling." The LIRR said it was reinforcing regulations that bar unauthorized people from engineers' cabs.

The engineer has been suspended without pay.