NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A former Long Island Rail Road employee has been charged with falsely claiming he inspected a broken rail bond that caused a train derailment in May 2019, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Stuart Conklin, 63, was working as a signalman for the LIRR in April 2019 when he filled out a report in which he claimed he had inspected a rail bond near Speonk, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said in a press release.
Surveillance footage, however, showed Conklin did not inspect the rail bond during his shift, the attorney’s office said.
A month later, on May 25, 2019, a westbound LIRR train crashed into the back of an eastbound LIRR train near Speonk. No one was injured, but 32 passengers were evacuated, officials said at the time.
An LIRR investigation found that the broken rail bond Conklin falsely claimed he had inspected caused the derailment, prosecutors said.
Conklin resigned from his post six days after the derailment, the attorney’s office said. He could face up to two years in prison if he is convicted, according to the release.
“As alleged, Conklin’s false inspection report endangered passengers on a heavily used line of the Long Island Rail Road and potentially placed scores of riders in harm’s way,” Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said in a statement. “Today’s arrest sends a strong message that this Office is committed to ensuring integrity in reports that are critical to the safe operation of the transport system.”
Conklin’s attorney information wasn’t immediately available Thursday.