CTA Train operator had alcohol in their system when Yellow Line train crashed in 2023, report shows

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The ABC 7 I-Team has learned new findings in a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train crash nearly a year ago that injured dozens of people and caused millions of dollars in damages.

Blood alcohol tests show the CTA train operator behind the controls of the train that crashed was motoring under the influence, according to reports from federal regulators obtained by the I-Team.

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The reports documented two separate blood alcohol tests conducted that show the operator was under the influence at the time of the late morning crash at levels above federal requirements.

The results of those tests -- which are routinely done on train workers following serious accidents -- are raising questions about whether the CTA employee at the controls was in control when the train crashed.

It was the CTA's worst accident in decades when the Yellow Line Train 593 collided with a stationary snow removal machine on the tracks near the Howard Street stop on Nov. 16, 2023.

Nearly 40 people were injured, three people critically, and the crash caused more than $8 million in damages, according to the Chicago Fire Department and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

At the time of the crash, the 47-year-old train operator at the controls had worked in that position for only three months, according to findings from the NTSB's investigation.

RELATED: NTSB report on CTA Yellow Line train crash that injured 16 says signal equipment not updated

While the investigation is ongoing, the ABC 7 I-Team reviewed investigative reports from the agency that reveal the injured operator was tested for alcohol in their bloodstream about an hour after the accident, at the hospital where they were being treated.

"The medical facility's results showed that at the time the train operator was tested, approximately one hour after the accident, his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was found to be .06," the NTSB report states.

The report continues, "Federal regulations stipulate that rail employees in safety sensitive positions, such as train operators, shall not have a BAC higher than .02."

After the accident, the NTSB report indicates the train operator's blood samples were sent to an FAA testing lab, and those second test results found the operator's BAC at .04, which is also over the federal limit.

READ MORE: NTSB believes 'design problem' led to CTA Yellow Line train crash that injured 38

P.S. Sriraj, Ph.D., Director of UIC's Urban Transportation Center, says the findings are concerning.

"At first blush, it's a cause for concern," Sriraj told the I-Team. "Most definitely, these are very sensitive positions where they are responsible for the lives of many, many people, and it behooves them as individuals and the agency at large to ensure that safety is prioritized to the highest order that they can."

Sriraj salutes CTA's random alcohol testing program for employees in safety sensitive jobs.

But the trainman at the controls of the train that crashed had not yet been randomly selected for alcohol testing since he became a train operator in August 2023, nearly three months before the crash, according to a report authored by the NTSB's Medical Officer, and reviewed by the I-Team.

CTA guidelines prohibit public transit employees to drink on the job or show up for work under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol.

"It still compromises your ability to process information at the speed that you would like to, but that is not the sole reason for the accident in my belief," Siraj said. "It's just one of those perfect storm scenarios."

After the I-Team's reporting deadline, Manny Gonzales, a spokesperson for the CTA, said all questions regarding the NTSB's investigation must be directed to the NTSB, according to the regulator's protocol.

"CTA's drug and alcohol policy and testing program for safety-sensitive employees, such as its rail and bus operators, complies with all federal regulations," Gonzales said. "In compliance with federal law, CTA also conducts roughly 350-450 random drug and alcohol tests of its safety-sensitive employees each month."

The CTA spokesperson also added that, "When reviewing information contained in this medical report, it is important to put it in context with the NTSB's preliminary report issued in December, which states: 'The operator [of the incident train] immediately initiated a full-service braking application to stop the train. The operator then saw the snow removal machine and initiated an emergency braking application.'"

The train operator behind the controls of the crashed Yellow Line train did not respond to messages left by the I-Team, and because they haven't been charged or cited, ABC 7 is not naming them. The CTA said the employee "remains out of service."

A spokesperson for the NTSB did not answer specific questions about the findings, but told the I-Team, "The investigation is ongoing," and that, "The final report will include analysis, probable cause, contributing factors [of the crash] and any recommendations," for the CTA.

That final investigation report could take anywhere from 12 to 24 months after the accident took place to be completed.

As the one-year mark approaches following the accident, Sriraj said there will likely be more findings to follow, to ensure the safety of all CTA passengers and employees.

"We should be happy that it didn't turn out to be more disastrous than it was," Sriraj told the I-Team.

Following this story's publication, a spokesperson for the NTSB sent the I-Team a new statement, saying in part, "The investigation is ongoing, however, at this time investigators have not found that the operator's actions contributed to the accident. The full analysis, probable cause, contributing factors and our recommendations on how to prevent similar collisions from occurring will be released in a final report within 12-24 months after the accident."