Frightening moment 'drunk driver' is seen speeding along train tracks before his SUV bursts into flames

An allegedly drunken New York man was arrested after speeding his car along the tracks of the Long Island Railroad before his vehicle burst into flames. 

Basilio Hidalgo, 40, of Brooklyn, was charged with reckless engagement, criminal trespassing, and driving while intoxicated on Sunday after he was caught driving his black SUV along the tracks of the Elmont-UBS Arena station. 

Video taken by a witness at the Elmont Station showed the car making a bumpy trek down the tracks closest to the platform as it tried to avoid stopped trains in the other two lanes. 

Hidalgo appeared to be in the car by himself as he barreled down the Main Line, an Instagram video shows. 

His car was spotted stopped on the tracks by the MTA Police Department around 5 pm on Sunday between the Bellerose and Floral Park stations after driving roughly half a mile on the railroad.

The man's joyride ended after his tires became 'severely damaged' and caught on fire, leading to 'front-end damage to the SUV', according to the MTA. 

Floral Park Fire Department was able to put out the flames, but not before it caused 'significant damage to the third rail and other track infrastructure,' the organization said. 

Hidalgo was taken into custody immediately. 

His stunt caused extensive delays on several train lines, including the Main Line, Ronkonkoma, Huntington, and Oyster Bay services. It fully suspended service on the Hempstead Branch line for several hours. 

The SUV was cleared from the tracks around 8:30 pm on Sunday after LIRR track maintenance workers used a hydraulic lift to remove it, according to the MTA. 

Service was fully restored to Hempstead Branch by 8:40 pm. 

It is unclear how Hidalgo go onto the tracks in the first place or why he decided to drive on the railway. 

The investigation is ongoing. 

Earlier this year, an MTA bus driver was hailed a hero after he spotted a five-year-old girl walking down the street by herself. 

Luis Jimenez, 60, was wrapping up his morning shift when something caught his fatherly eye - a five-year-old girl walking on the sidewalk by herself near 160th and Broadway on Tuesday afternoon.

'We have a saying in the MTA - if you see something, say something,' Jimenez told ABC 7.

'Well with me, I will do something,' he added with a smile.

The Harlem resident kept his eye on her through his front window for about a block before ultimately deciding to pull over, call his dispatcher and have a passenger phone 911. 

And with the help of the other riders, Jimenez was able to get the little girl, with a school bag still in hand - on the bus safely.

Her school had reported the kindergartener missing after she didn't show up to class.

Although she didn't have any prior history of missing school, she had a different plan for that particular day - skipping out to go to a pet store.

The little girl's fish had recently died and she was on her way to replace her beloved pet.

The five-year-old had already walked ten blocks away from the safety of her school grounds before Jimenez spotted her.