Goldendale man pleads guilty to disabling brakes on freight train
By Dan Thesman on Friday, April 12th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WISHRAM – A Goldendale man has pleaded guilty to tampering with the brakes of a BNSF Railway freight train carrying hazardous materials after it stopped in Wishram on February 5, 2023, on its way to California.
Forrest Ethan Wanous said he was intoxicated at the time of the incident and had no recollection of his actions.
Security camera footage showed Wanous driving his vehicle through the Wishram train station parking lot and parking near the railroad’s maintenance area. Vehicles parking at the station are not uncommon while trains are there because rail fans will often come to watch or photograph/video the trains, according to court documents.
Wanous was seen on video surveillance footage approaching numerous railcars and walking between them.
During the leg of the journey between Pasco and Wishram, the train crew conducted several brake checks, resulting in no issues. However, the crew received an alert indicating a fault in the braking system once the train left Wishram. An inspection found components associated with the braking system on three railcars were either in the incorrect position or partially enabled. There were two other cars that appeared in the video to be contacted but did not have their systems disabled.
Wanous is scheduled to be sentenced May 28 for the crime of violence against railroad carriers at the federal courthouse in Yakima.
