AN ALLEGED drunk driver will front court next month accused of turning his car onto a railway track after leaving a Newcastle pub.
Police were called to reports of a car crash at Beaumont Street in Hamilton in the early hours of Sunday, October 15.
Officers found a young man behind the wheel of a Toyota sedan that had become stuck on train tracks about 3.40am.
"The 21-year-old driver ... decided to take a more direct route by turning onto the rail corridor at the crossing adjacent to Hamilton Railway Station," a Newcastle police spokesperson said.
The sedan travelled about 100 metres along the railway line before it got stuck, police claim.
Officers spoke with the driver and said they discovered he had left a nearby licensed premises just a short time before the crash.
The man allegedly returned a positive breath test, and was arrested at the scene.
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station, where he allegedly recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.135, more than two-and-a-half times the legal limit.
The 21-year-old had his licence suspended on the spot and was ordered to front Newcastle Local Court in November on a mid-range drink driving charge.
"While we cannot comment on the details of a particular incident, any instance of a potential collision on a level crossing is concerning and could have far-reaching and possibly devastating consequences," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.
Train services were affected for about two-and-a-half hours, including services between Broadmeadow and Newcastle Interchange, and between Newcastle and Maitland.
Buses were arranged to transport passengers on these routes and trains resumed about 6.15am.
