Philadelphia Judge Orders Charges To Be Pressed Against Amtrak Engineer In Fatal Derailment

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Just days after the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office announced they would not be pressing charges against the engineer in the fatal 2015 Amtrak derailment, a judge has ordered them to reverse course, according to officials.

Philadelphia Municipal Court President Judge Marsha Neifield disagrees with the conclusions of the investigators, who said that they found no evidence the engineer, Brandon Bostian, acted with criminal intent.

The investigation had previously revealed that on May 12, 2015, Bostian had caused the accident by heading into a turn near Frankford Junction well in excess of the speed limit, leading to the deaths of eight individuals and injuries to 200 others.

Neifield issued the order after lawyers for some of the victims of the crash demanded the case be reopened during a hearing on Thursday, officials said. Neifield heard arguments and consented, and two private criminal complaints were filed.

>>No Criminal Charges In Fatal Amtrak Derailment

The District Attorney's Office has sent the prosecution of the case along the Pennsylvania Attorney General, because they already ruled that no charges should be filed.

"We take this action to avoid the potential for any apparent conflict of interest, consistent with the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Attorney’s Act," Cameron Kline, a District Attorney's Office spokesperson, said in a statement.

Bostian, 32, believed the train was on a different part of the track, and applied full throttle, investigators said. The train increased its speed from 65 miles per hour to 106 miles per hour in about 50 seconds. The speed limit on the turn where he eventually crashed was 50 miles per hour.

>>8 Killed In Amtrak Derailment In Pennsylvania

The crash caused more than $9 million in damage, officials estimate.

Image of Judge Neifield via Philadelphia Courts