A man in Charlotte, North Carolina, was arrested for allegedly trying to steal a train from the North Tryon Street rail yard. Joseph Seigle, 43, was found in the conductor's car of an Amtrak train late Tuesday night (June 3). According to court documents, an Amtrak supervisor, Nicholas Pope, heard the train horn sound around 11:45 p.m. and discovered Seigle inside the train.
Police were called after an argument between Seigle and Pope. When officers caught up with Seigle, he claimed he only pressed the horn button. However, Pope reported that the train's brake levers had been moved, suggesting an attempt to operate the train. Amtrak employees were on board cleaning the train at the time, leading to charges of trespassing and attempted kidnapping against Seigle.
Seigle was taken to Mecklenburg County jail and given a $15,000 secured bond. He is set to appear in court on June 25. An Amtrak spokesperson stated that there was no attempted train theft, but rather an incident of trespassing. No injuries were reported.