By Rick Bruni Jr.

Published: Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, March 20, 2013

A Monongahela woman is accused of risking a catastrophe after parking her car across train tracks because the train whistle annoyed her and she believed the engineer may have been stalking her, police said.

Bridgett Dixon, 42, of 307½ Park Avenue, was allegedly intoxicated when she entered the Sheetz convenience store 11:33 p.m. Friday and began screaming at the clerk to call police because her car was stuck on the train tracks, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

While en route to Sheetz, Monongahela patrolman Stephen Kenyon observed a gray Plymouth Neon parked in the middle of two railroad tracks at Second and Railroad streets -- one block from the store. The car was unoccupied and there were no keys in the ignition.

An oncoming train did have to come to a stop until a towing company was able to pull the car from the tracks, Monongahela police Chief Brian Tempest said.

“My officers immediately called 911 and they were able to notify Norfolk-Southern (railroad company),” Tempest said. “… (The license plate) came back to Bridgett Dixon.”

When police arrived at Sheetz, Dixon was sitting at a table in front of the store. She proceeded to tell police she was sick of the train blowing its whistle every time she is downtown or on her phone. Dixon then stated she left her car on the tracks so she could find out who was driving the train.

“She felt that maybe the engineer may have been personally following her around town,” Tempest said. “She told my officers that if she parked the car on the railroad tracks, the train would hit her car and that would solve the problem.”

While speaking, Dixon was visibly intoxicated and emitting a strong odor of alcohol, Tempest said.

Dixon was arrested and sent to the Washington County Correctional Facility where she was released after posting $5,000 bond, Tempest said.

Dixon faces one felony count of causing or risking a catastrophe, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. March 26 in front of Magisterial District Judge Mark Wilson in Monongahela.

“We know her from dealings in the past, but this is brand new,” Tempest said. “We've never had any dealings with her concerning any problems with trains until now. ”

Rick Bruni Jr. is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at rbruni@tribweb.com or 724-684-2635.

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