Alleged drunk driver parks car on tracks

A 32-year-old Glendale man who was allegedly driving with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit was arrested early Saturday after he stopped his car on the Doran Street railroad crossing, police said.

Joseph Hong was taken into custody just after 2 a.m. on suspicion of driving with an alcohol level of .23% and obstructing the roadway after he parked in his Chevy Camaro on the tracks at the controversial railroad crossing, according to Glendale Police Department reports.

“Obviously, with his level of intoxication… he couldn’t keep his car on the roadway,” Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

A police advisory to Metrolink halted a southbound train before it reached the corridor and no injuries were reported.

The railroad crossing is considered to be among the most dangerous in the Metrolink system because of potential for traffic gridlock and its close proximity to a propane facility.

Witnesses called police at about 1:47 a.m. to report that Hong’s Camaro, which was facing east and blocking traffic, was possibly stuck on the tracks.

An officer observed Hong seated in the driver’s seat with his car light on and yelled at him to get out.

A few minutes later, Hong stumbled out of the Camaro, according to police reports.

Hong couldn’t recall how he ended up on the track and repeatedly asked officers, “What’s going on?” according to the incident report.

Police eventually were able to safely arrest Hong and move his Camaro off the tracks.