BOSTON, Oct. 31, 2014—An Allston man was arraigned today on charges he drove drunk onto the commuter rail tracks approaching North Station and didn’t stop until he was at the transit hub’s train platform, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MATTHIAS GRENON (D.O.B. 9/27/92) was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court today on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.  Special Assistant District Attorney Sophie Wang requested bail of $1,000.  Judge Thomas Horgan released Grenon on his own recognizance with orders that he not consume alcohol and not drive without a valid license.

According to prosecutors, Transit Police were called to North Station for a report that a vehicle was traveling on the commuter rail tracks shortly after 2:20 this morning.

Upon their arrival, officers found a silver Toyota RAV4 stuck between two sets of commuter rail tracks at the station and Grenon retrieving a cigarette from the vehicle.  Officers observed that Grenon was unsteady on his feet, smelled strongly of alcohol, and had glassy, bloodshot eyes, prosecutors said.

A Keolis employee told police that he had earlier taken note of Grenon’s vehicle and its license plate number after it allegedly drove dangerously close to a work crew in the area of the Prison Point Bridge; he later observed the same vehicle driving on the commuter rail tracks in the direction of North Station.  The witness followed the vehicle on foot for approximately a half mile, until the vehicle became lodged in between two sets of tracks just prior to the platform at North Station.

Grenon allegedly made statements to police admitting that he had two drinks, but claimed he could not recall the name of the bar where he was drinking.  His only explanation for his presence on the commuter rail tracks was that he was trying to get to Cambridge, prosecutors said. Investigators believe Grenon may have initially driven onto the tracks at the Boston Engine Terminal Mystic maintenance facility in Somerville.

Grenon was escorted onto the train platform, where he submitted to and failed a series of field sobriety tests, prosecutors said.  After being transported to Transit Police Headquarters, Grenon blew a .19% on a Breathalyzer test – more than twice the legal limit.

A tow company was called to the scene and successfully removed the stuck SUV from the train tracks.  No commuter rail property was damaged.

Grenon will return to court Jan. 26.

–30–

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.