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 Jose Alejandro Sanchez-Ramirez, 54, was found walking and "in
distress" more than a mile (1.5 km) from the crash site in Oxnard on
Tuesday and was later taken into custody on suspicion of felony
hit-and-run, police said.
Sanchez-Ramirez's attorney Ron Bamieh told reporters on Wednesday
that the crash was an accident and his client left the scene trying
to look for help before eventually finding police.
"The reality is he basically freaked out trying to help people,"
Bamieh said. "Did he do everything like James Bond? No, he did the
best he could."
 The crash in Oxnard, about 45 miles (70 km) northwest of Los
Angeles, flipped over three double-decker Metrolink rail cars and
derailed two others. It tore apart the Ford pickup truck
Sanchez-Ramirez drove onto the tracks after making a wrong turn
before dawn.
Three people remained in critical condition on Wednesday with
injuries from the crash, including the train operator who remained
on a ventilator and in guarded condition, said Dr. Bryan Wong of
Ventura County Medical Center.
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The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that Sanchez-Ramirez had
a history of vehicle infractions in Arizona, including pleading
guilty in 1998 to violations including driving with a blood alcohol
content above the state's legal limit.
Bamieh confirmed his client was arrested for driving under the
influence of alcohol in 1998 but said there was no indication he was
intoxicated at the time of Tuesday's rail crash.
(Writing by Curtis Skinner; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
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