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Train Operator at Port of Los Angeles Charged with Derailing Locomotive Near U.S. Navy’s Hospital Ship Mercy
DOJ - California ^ | April 1, 2020 | DOJ California

Posted on 04/01/2020 5:29:54 PM PDT by tazman3

A train engineer at the Port of Los Angeles was arrested this morning on federal charges for allegedly running a locomotive at full speed off the end of rail tracks near the USNS Mercy.

Eduardo Moreno, 44, of San Pedro, was charged today in a criminal complaint with one count of train wrecking as a result of an incident Tuesday afternoon.

According to the criminal complaint filed in United States District Court, Moreno admitted in two separate interviews with law enforcement authorities that he intentionally derailed and crashed the train near the Mercy.

Moreno ran the train off the end of tracks, and crashed through a series of barriers before coming to rest more than 250 yards from the Mercy. No one was injured in the incident, and the Mercy was not harmed or damaged in any way. The incident did result in the train leaking a substantial amount of fuel oil, which required clean up by fire and other hazardous materials personnel.

The train crash was witnessed by a California Highway Patrol officer, who took Moreno into custody as he fled the scene. The Los Angeles Port Police then took custody of Moreno, conducted an interview and obtained permission to search his residence. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Port of Los Angeles Police are now leading the investigation.

The CHP officer who witnessed the crash reported seeing “the train smash into a concrete barrier at the end of the track, smash into a steel barrier, smash into a chain-link fence, slide through a parking lot, slide across another lot filled with gravel, and smash into a second chain-link fence,” according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint. When the CHP officer contacted Moreno, he made a series of spontaneous statements, including, “You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.”

In his first interview with the Los Angeles Port Police, Moreno acknowledged that he “did it,” saying that he was suspicious of the Mercy and believing it had an alternate purpose related to COVID-19 or a government takeover, the affidavit states. Moreno stated that he acted alone and had not pre-planned the attempted attack. While admitting to intentionally derailing and crashing the train, he said he knew it would bring media attention and “people could see for themselves,” referring to the Mercy, according to the affidavit.

In a second interview with FBI agents, Moreno stated that “he did it out of the desire to ‘wake people up,’” according to the affidavit. “Moreno stated that he thought that the U.S.N.S. Mercy was suspicious and did not believe ‘the ship is what they say it’s for.’”

The Los Angeles Port Police reviewed video recorded from the locomotive’s cab, according to the affidavit. One video shows the train clearly moving at a high rate of speed before crashing through various barriers and coming into close proximity to three occupied vehicles. A second video shows Moreno in the cab holding a lighted flare.

Moreno was held overnight on local charges, and he was turned over to FBI agents this morning. Moreno is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The train wrecking charge alleged in the criminal complaint carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Reema M. El-Amamy, Christine M. Ro and William M. Rollins of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section with support from Trial Attorney Taryn Meeks of the Counterterrorism Section at the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: 3; california; eduardomoreno
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To: OKSooner

I thought so too at first. Very elaborate and not funny if it is.


21 posted on 04/01/2020 6:14:39 PM PDT by tazman3
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To: tazman3

Was he chanting “Aloha snackbar”?


22 posted on 04/01/2020 6:15:27 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: tazman3

” one count of train wrecking “

Suspend this guy from a crane, where he just slightly dips in and out of the water as the tides come in & out.
He will surely come to something’s attention


23 posted on 04/01/2020 6:16:35 PM PDT by LeoWindhorse
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Another article...

Eduardo Moreno: California Man Tried to Crash Train Into USNS Mercy, Feds Say

https://heavy.com/news/2020/04/eduardo-moreno-california-train-usns-mercy/


24 posted on 04/01/2020 6:17:21 PM PDT by deks
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To: familyop

Come on I listened to Art Bell for years.

Even old Art wasn’t this nuts.


25 posted on 04/01/2020 6:17:36 PM PDT by redgolum (If this culture today is civilization, I will be the barbarian)
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To: redgolum

True. Art Bell was an entertainer.


26 posted on 04/01/2020 6:20:16 PM PDT by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." - -Costco greeter in the movie, "Idiocracy")
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To: who_would_fardels_bear

LOL!


27 posted on 04/01/2020 6:20:51 PM PDT by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." - -Costco greeter in the movie, "Idiocracy")
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To: tazman3

Looks like someone was trying to stop the Mercy, that reminds me of that train accident occur where the passengers just happen to be all Republicans going to some retreat for a discussion.


28 posted on 04/01/2020 6:29:12 PM PDT by Patriot Babe
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To: familyop

Art made night shift in the lab fun. About 2 AM, when the really weird stuff started, it would wake us all up.


29 posted on 04/01/2020 6:30:39 PM PDT by redgolum (If this culture today is civilization, I will be the barbarian)
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To: tazman3

Mexifornia man outdoes Florida man


30 posted on 04/01/2020 6:31:14 PM PDT by Pollard (shadowbanned)
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To: tazman3; All

Wanna stop this crap? Public hanging... better yet, medieval justice: crucify him and leave on display for vultures and maggots.


31 posted on 04/01/2020 6:51:19 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isnÂ’t common anymore.)
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To: tazman3
U.S. citizen? The first thing we should know... Then politics, religion, & race, in that order...
32 posted on 04/01/2020 6:55:51 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is Sam Adams now that we desperately need him)
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To: redgolum

The ports are a harbor of union anti-trumpers. There’s a local newspaper in San Pedro that is a buffet of conspiracy stories and TDS. I believe this is anti-trump, nothing else.


33 posted on 04/01/2020 7:02:42 PM PDT by Loud Mime ("Now, go and do your duty before darkness covers the earth." Michael Uhlmann (1939 - 2019))
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To: tazman3

Do we have anything else about the man?


34 posted on 04/01/2020 7:35:43 PM PDT by meatloaf
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To: tazman3
“You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.”

Well...He didn't lie! Personally, I think he was disgruntled or on something and is trying to set up an insanity defense.

35 posted on 04/01/2020 7:50:24 PM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: BradyLS
Well...He didn't lie! Personally, I think he was disgruntled or on something

Sad that he didn't have some close enough to say, "Dude! Be a man! Gruntle up!"

36 posted on 04/01/2020 7:55:39 PM PDT by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: GreenLanternCorps
Based on the statements of Engineer Eddie, it sounds more like

.


37 posted on 04/01/2020 8:11:34 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (BLACK LIVES MAGA)
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To: _Jim

He sounds just like my sister - so yeah - I’d bet this is an Alex Jones cult member


38 posted on 04/01/2020 8:12:38 PM PDT by Scotswife
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