JULESBURG, Colorado — An Arizona man was arrested after authorities said he broke into a Union Pacific locomotive and rode naked on top of the moving train in northeastern Colorado, prompting multiple emergency calls from witnesses and a criminal investigation.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as Daniel Ray Ballance, of Quartzsite, Arizona. According to the sheriff's office, deputies responded after reports that a man was riding atop a moving locomotive as it traveled through Sedgwick County near the Nebraska state line. Authorities alleged Ballance entered the locomotive by breaking a window before climbing onto its roof while the train was in motion.
Deputies arrested Ballance after the train was stopped. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail and faces a combination of felony and misdemeanor charges, the sheriff's office said. Court records detailing the specific charges were not immediately available on Sunday. Authorities emphasized that the allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings and that Ballance is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The sheriff's office said the incident drew the attention of numerous witnesses, several of whom reported seeing the suspect on top of the locomotive. Officials have not disclosed a motive for the alleged actions.
In a statement posted on social media, the sheriff's office confirmed the arrest and said Ballance later told deputies he enjoyed "vodka, beer and playing the Banjo." The agency included the remark in a lighthearted post announcing that he had been taken into custody, while reiterating that the case would proceed through the legal process.
Union Pacific has not publicly released additional information about the incident. Authorities have not reported any injuries to train crew members or members of the public, and officials did not indicate that rail operations sustained significant damage beyond the reported broken locomotive window.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities said any additional charges or court proceedings will depend on the outcome of the investigation and decisions by prosecutors.
