CHICAGO — Federal investigators revealed that the Chicago train operator of the commuter train involved in a collision last November had alcohol in his system, although they have concluded it was not a factor in the crash.
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The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train collided with a slow-moving snow plow on Nov. 16, injuring 38 people, including the train’s operator. According to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report, a hospital test taken an hour post-crash showed the 47-year-old operator had a blood-alcohol level of 0.06%, exceeding the federal limit of 0.02%, though below the Illinois state driving limit of 0.08%. A secondary test at a federal lab measured his blood-alcohol level at 0.048%, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
NTSB officials stated that alcohol did not contribute to the accident. “The investigation is ongoing, however, at this time investigators have not found that the operator’s actions contributed to the accident,” the NTSB noted in a statement. The CTA, restricted from commenting on an ongoing investigation, issued a statement confirming regular employee testing protocols. Per the NTSB report, the operator, hired in 2021, had not previously been tested.
The operator told investigators that the train’s brakes failed in the moments leading up to the collision. “I got the brake down, but I’m still feeling a little push on the train, so I’m like, I’m pulling it down,” he reported. “I jump on the radio, (saying) ‘train not stopping.’ I’m like well, my body’s going to get crushed.” The NTSB initially attributed the issue to a braking system design flaw, noting that the train was traveling at 26.9 mph at impact.
The snow plow was on the tracks as part of winter training. Joseph T. Murphy, attorney for several passengers suing the CTA, expressed concern over the NTSB’s findings. “If the person had alcohol in their system, it’s human error as well,” he stated. “You can’t have someone driving around hundreds of passengers a day with alcohol in their system.”
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A rail instructor on the plow recalled seeing the operator attempt to brake. “I was praying and hoping that it would stop, but the speed that the train was coming, I already knew that it wasn’t going to stop,” he recounted, adding that the operator’s effort to slow the train may have saved lives. “The operator is the real hero because if (he) didn’t slow down that train, I probably wouldn’t be here with you guys right now,” the instructor stated.
