Teenage ‘railroad enthusiast’ to be charged as adult in Bennet train derailment

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The teenager accused of causing a train derailment in Bennet will be charged as an adult.

Juvenile Court Judge Roger Heideman on Monday transferred the case of Zachary Hertzler, who turns 18 next month, to Lancaster County Court.

In his ruling, the judge said the derailment on April 22 could have been a “catastrophic event.”

“At the time of the derailment, there was a crew of two in the train,” Heideman wrote. “The train was a fully loaded coal train that was made to derail in the city of Bennet. It derailed within feet of a grain elevator, road crossing and large propane tanks.”

The crash caused about $350,000 in damage, authorities said.

SEE ALSO: 17-year-old ‘railroad enthusiast’ charged in Bennet train derailment

Hertzler is a self-proclaimed “railroad enthusiast” who regularly posts videos of trains on YouTube, according to court documents.

BNSF police said Hertzler flipped a switch to derail the train in Bennet.

He filmed a video and posted it, receiving 300,000 views before it was removed, Heideman said.

The rest of his videos had 200 to 300 views.

“Notoriety appears to be a significant motivating factor,” Heideman wrote.

SEE ALSO: ‘Railroad enthusiast’ accused of causing April train derailment in Bennet