A man is facing deportation and a slew of felony charges following an incident on a set of train tracks in Mulberry, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies said they responded to the intersection of State Road 37 South and Railroad Avenue around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, after receiving a report of someone interfering with a CSX train.
Josue Castaneda-Castro, a 38-year-old Mexican national who officials said is not supposed to be in the U.S., had driven his truck in front of the train, according to the sheriff’s office. His truck was pulling a “homemade trailer” that became stuck on the tracks, authorities explained.
The train conductor was forced to stop, and officials said Castaneda-Castro got out of his truck and began arguing with the conductor. Castaneda-Castro then disconnected the trailer from his truck and drove off, according to investigators.
He returned moments later and tried to enter the train car while “continuing to act aggressively toward the conductor,” the sheriff’s office said.
It was around that time that deputies arrived at the scene. They said they spotted the truck and trailer across the tracks with Castaneda-Castro standing nearby. After seeing law enforcement, Castaneda-Castro got into his truck and started trying to reverse toward them, officials said.
Castaneda-Castro eventually complied with deputies’ commands to get out of the truck but refused to answer any questions, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said they smelled alcohol on Castaneda-Castro’s breath.
The situation escalated when officials said Castaneda-Castro grabbed a deputy’s arm. The deputy deployed an agency-issued Taser, but it was ineffective. Authorities said Castaneda-Castro took off running into a wooded area, where a K-9 team eventually found him hiding under heavy brush.
Castaneda-Castro fought K-9 Rone as the dog went after him, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said Castaneda-Castro grabbed Rone’s collar and struck and kicked the K-9 multiple times. Authorities were able to stop Castaneda-Castro and took him into custody.
According to investigators, Castaneda-Castro’s driver’s license had been revoked since January 2023. He is believed to have entered the country after previously being deported one time before, the sheriff’s office said.
Castaneda-Castro’s criminal history includes previous arrests for DUI, not having a valid driver’s license and driving with a suspended license, according to officials.
ICE was contacted and an immigration hold was placed on Castaneda-Castro. All charges against him have also been enhanced by one degree due to his immigration status, authorities said.
The charges against him include the following:
- Interfering with a railroad track (Second-degree felony)
- Interfering with a railroad train (Second-degree felony)
- Trespassing (Third-degree felony)
- Battery on a law enforcement officer (Second-degree felony)
- Striking a police canine (Third-degree felony)
- Unarmed burglary of an occupied conveyance (First-degree felony)
- Driving with a suspended license (First-degree misdemeanor)
- Resisting an officer without violence (Third-degree felony)
- Resisting an officer with violence (Second-degree felony)
“This individual not only endangered the safety of a train operator and disrupted critical infrastructure, but he also violently resisted arrest and attacked one of our K-9s,” Sheriff Grady Judd said. “He is in our country illegally, his license was revoked, and now he’s facing serious charges. Our deputies did an outstanding job bringing this dangerous situation under control.”