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October 12, 2014 3:45 pm - NewsBehavingBadly.com

A Wyoming man is facing charges after allegedly stealing a train from North Antelope Rochelle mine and driving it south for 13 miles, then plowing it into another train.

Derek Skyler Brux, 22, was charged on Friday with reckless endangering, felony destruction of property and felony destruction, obstruction or removal of railroad track or fixtures.

[su_center_ad]Deputies were called out to the mine at about 8:55 a.m. Thursday, according to Gillette News Record.

According to an affidavit, Brux, a utility coal operation for Rail Link, allegedly became upset about his supervisor’s response to working conditions.

That’s when the disgruntled employee unhooked some locomotive cars and drove the train around what is described as a “loop” at the site and “pretty much squashed the ‘expletive’ outta their scales,” Brux said, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit says, Brux then called his supervisor and asked her if she wanted to play chicken, then hung up the phone and called the rail dispatch, advising employees that he was going onto the main rail line.

According to Brux, he was traveling at an estimated 60 mph for about 15 minutes before plowing through switch 1.

The affidavit states Brux told deputies he did not know where he was going but he wanted to make Rail Link pay.

Employees from Peabody Energy Corp. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC made an attempt to stop the locomotive but were unsuccessful, according to the affidavit.

Brux told deputies that at one point he encountered construction workers on his journey so he blew his horn while passing and said that there were “a lot of workers there,” the affidavit says.

When asked if he frightened the workers Brux said, “They were probably (expletive) scared. They probably (expletive) themselves. Whatever.”

Eventually, Brux crashed the train into another train.

“I wanted to see what it was like to hit something, so I hit at it,” Brux said, according to the affidavit. Brux then backed up and hit the train again.

After an employee disabled the train, Brux fled on foot before being caught by deputies.

Brux said he was having a bad day and was trying to prove a point. When he was asked if he had thought about taking his own life, he replied, “a couple of times.”

The affidavit states taht Brux said he would do so by hitting “another train, putting possibly other lives in danger …”

The Gillette News Record reports, “Reckless endangering is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment up to one year, a fine up to $750 or both. Felony destruction of property is punishable by imprisonment of not more than 10 years, a fine of up to $10,000 or both. Destruction, obstruction or removal of railroad track or fixtures is a felony punishable by a imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than 20 years, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.”

Brux could also face additional federal charges from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Well he sure showed them.

H/T: LL’s own Mod God, @Mea_Mark with thanks.

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D.B. Hirsch
D.B. Hirsch is a political activist, news junkie, and retired ad copy writer and spin doctor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

11 responses to Disgruntled Employee Steals Train, Plows Into Another Train

  1. edmeyer_able October 12th, 2014 at 3:53 pm

    Somehow or for some reason I get the feeling that this guy would epitomize the typical teaparty member

  2. tiredoftea October 12th, 2014 at 4:03 pm

    “Brux said he was having a bad day and was trying to prove a point.” Annnnd, the point was to redefine what a bad day is?

  3. mea_mark October 12th, 2014 at 4:12 pm

    When your fee fee’s are hurt it is time to play with some trains right, just not real trains.

  4. rg9rts October 12th, 2014 at 5:45 pm

    I thought that kid lived in the Bronx

    • tiredoftea October 12th, 2014 at 5:46 pm

      He lives everywhere!

      • rg9rts October 12th, 2014 at 5:48 pm

        He made a career of stealing subways

        • tiredoftea October 12th, 2014 at 5:56 pm

          Yeah, he watched “The Taking of Pelham 123” a few too many times.

          • Hirightnow October 12th, 2014 at 8:00 pm

            I assume you mean the horrible remake, and not the Robert Shaw classic.

          • fancypants October 12th, 2014 at 8:57 pm

            it sounds more like a bad sequel to ” the money train ” Robert blake must be pissed ?

  5. Pilotshark October 13th, 2014 at 4:41 pm

    Let`s see some how i hear that joke about brains and trains, it would seem he missed the brains and was trying to catch the train.

  6. google user October 13th, 2014 at 10:05 pm

    I hope rail link goes down for it all the way they treat their employees. They treated me like crap the whole time I worked there and Derek is one hell of a worker. He would do anything he was told to do without complaining and when your boss tells you how easily replaced you can be and how in one phone call he can fly in all the help he needed from new York then tries to force you to work overtime I can see where one would snap. Derek and Mel I am on your side and if you ever need me you know you can call me. You are in my thoughts and prayers.