Man stops a train in Mount Olive
By Gary Popp
Published in News on January 17, 2011 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Clark Pridgen, 52, of John Rose Lane was arrested Sunday around 3:30 p.m. after standing on railroad tracks near the intersection of South Center and Pollock streets in Mount Olive, forcing an oncoming train to come to a halt.
Mount Olive police Chief Ralph Schroeder said Pridgen had consumed alcohol prior to the incident.
The chief said Pridgen is familiar to the police department.
"He just gets something in his head and he tries to do it," Schroeder said.
Pridgen has been arrested over the years in Mount Olive for an array of charges including misuse of the 911 system and disruptive behavior. Pridgen has received a driving while impaired charge while riding the streets of Mount Olive on his moped.
After Sunday's episode, Pridgen can tack on trespassing on railroad property to his list.
Before this past weekend, Pridgen was most recently arrested on Christmas Day for charges related to harassing emergency communication dispatchers.
The amount of Pridgen's bond was not available.