June 16, 2004
CAN'T BLAME A MAN FOR LOVING TRAINS:
Drawn to Trains, a Well-Traveled Fanatic Is Back in Trouble (MICHAEL LUO, 6/15/04, NY Times)
By now, Darius McCollum's exploits have become the stuff of city lore.He is the eccentric transit fanatic from Queens who has spent more than a third of his life behind bars for transgressions related to his posing as a New York City Transit worker. Among the notable offenses on his rap sheet are commandeering an E train on a trip to the World Trade Center from Herald Square when he was just 15 and taking a number of city buses for joy rides.
He has long vexed transit officials, who posted his picture at stations and depots. But to a small band of dedicated supporters and friends, Mr. McCollum is the ultimate example of the system's failing someone who badly needs help.
On Friday, Mr. McCollum, now 39, was arrested again, just two months after being released from jail after being held on a parole violation related to his latest transit-related conviction, his 19th.
This cries out for jury nullification. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 16, 2004 4:44 PM
Aside from moving people safely from one place to another, I cannot think of any other obligation a transit system should have.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at June 16, 2004 7:34 PMHe's not crazy...just Chattanooga Cuckoo.
Posted by: Noel at June 16, 2004 8:33 PMThis may sound stupid, but if the guy loves the New York City transit system so much, why don't they give him a job? He might work out to be their most dedicated employee... and he'd hardly be their craziest. ;-)
Posted by: Mary in LA at June 16, 2004 8:33 PMSounds plausible to me, Mary. How hard is it to drive a subway train?
Posted by: pj at June 16, 2004 9:41 PM