A New York man is in hot water after he allegedly tried an illegal shortcut with his SUV straight down the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) train tracks.

Most New Yorkers would be lying if they said they never fantasized about pulling such a move. Unfortunately, there was more than one reason the driver eventually found himself in cuffs... and his vehicle engulfed in flames.

An SUV was seen driving down rail road tracks in New York (longislandwiseguy via Instagram)
An SUV was seen driving down rail road tracks in New York (longislandwiseguy via Instagram)
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SUV Drives on New York Train Tracks

The MTA shared that on Sunday December 9th 2024 just before 5pm, a man allegedly drove his vehicle nearly a half-mile on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) tracks before his vehicle became disabled.

Authorities say a 40-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving on the Long Island Rail Road tracks near UBS Arena (longislandwiseguy via Instagram)
Authorities say a 40-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving on the Long Island Rail Road tracks near UBS Arena (longislandwiseguy via Instagram)
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Suspect Arrested After Allegedly Driving on Long Island Rail Road Tracks

The 40-year-old suspected was arrested and charged with several offenses, including Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Trespassing, and Driving While Intoxicated. The vehicle, which caught fire after extensive tire damage, needed to be professionally lifted from the tracks (below).

The vehicle was so badly damaged that crews needed a special machine to remove it from the tracks (Photo via MTA)
The vehicle was so badly damaged that crews needed a special machine to remove it from the tracks (Photo via MTA)
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Video of SUV Driving on LIRR Tracks

Before the vehicle carnage and subsequent arrest, video reportedly shows the man doing what he intended to do: take a shortcut down the rail road tracks. It looked like smooth sailing as the vehicle drove through Elmont-UBS Arena station (below).

Is December the Month for train Track Shenanigans?

The last month of the year is gaining a reputation for strange occurrences on local tracks. In December 2023, a bull that escaped a nearby slaughterhouse snarled trains headed into new York City from New Jersey (below).

A bull on New Jersey Transit train tracks
Nearly a year to the day of the recent SUV incident, a bull was seen running down the train tracks in New Jersey (NJ Transit via Facebook)
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Many New York roads are dangerous enough without adding illegal detours to the equation. See some of the most challenging routes in New York and New Jersey below.

New York State's 5 Most Dangerous Roads [RANKED]

With plenty of big cities and numerous busy highways, it should come as no surprise New York state is unfortunately home to some of the most dangerous roads in the nation. While you would expect New York City to be the home of such roadways (2 on this list), the danger is not limited to the Big Apple. According to Catalano Law, 3 New York State's 5 most dangerous roads live mostly Upstate and should be navigated with the most extreme caution. Here are the 5 most dangerous in the Empire State.

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff

The 25 Most Dangerous Roads in New Jersey

Gallery Credit: Matt Ryan

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