SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Spokane Valley Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man after he boarded a train, assaulted the engineer and tried to take control of the engine.
Deputies initially responded to the Home Depot on East Sprague after 39-year-old Jason L. Souder was seen videotaping employees and refused to leave the property.
An employee said that he was unable to officially trespass Souder due to company policy, according to Spokane County Sheriff's Cpl. Mark Gregory.
When deputies arrived, Sauder was locked inside his vehicle. He stared at deputies, rarely blinking and made comments about their equipment, according to Gregory.
Deputies also couldn’t remove Souder from the private property because a property owner wasn't on site.
Gregory said because the situation seemed to be de-escalating, deputies discontinued their contact with Souder.
However, 15 minutes later, deputies responded to a report of a man who illegally boarded a locomotive engine, attached to several cars, on the train tracks behind Home Depot.
Gregory said Souder was aboard the engine, wildly swinging his arms and striking the engineer.
He attempted to take control of the train but the engineer was able to distract Souder and successfully secure the brakes and throttle into an emergency shutdown mode, according to Gregory.
Souder was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Jail for malicious injury to railroad property, fourth degree assault, second degree criminal tresoassing, obstruction and resisting arrest.
His bond is listed at $10,000.