PORTLAND, Ore. — A man is facing multiple felony charges for derailing a train in Klamath Falls in southern Oregon, causing over $1 million in damages.
Craig David Saddler, 62, from Grants Pass, has been charged with a criminal complaint for wrecking, derailing, and disabling railroad equipment and vehicles, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon said.
On Aug. 12, Saddler, while trespassing at the Union Pacific Railroad (UPR) yard in Klamath Falls, pulled a lever which redirects trains to different tracks — causing an oncoming train to derail when the tracks switched, according to court documents.
The train was carrying UPR employees at the time. No injuries were reported, but the derailment caused damages to the railway, four railcars and surrounding property.
According to federal prosecutors, Saddler fled the railyard, but officers quickly located him less than a mile away. Saddler has denied his involvement and said that he only witnessed the train derailment. He was later arrested after a witness identified him as the man who pulled the lever, causing the derailment.
On Monday, a judge ordered Saddler to be detained pending further court hearings. In cases of criminal complaints, a person is only accused of a crime and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
