The engineer who was involved in Sunday's New York train derailment apparently "was nodding off and caught himself too late" before the accident that killed four people and injured 67 others, a union representative who has been meeting with the man told CNN on Tuesday. 

Anthony Bottalico, the union representative, said engineer William Rockefeller Jr. recognizes his responsibility in the incident. 

"I think most people are leaning towards human error," Bottalico said. 

Rockefeller's lawyer, Jeffrey Chartier, characterized what happened as "highway hypnosis." He said his client had had a full night's sleep before the crash, and that Rockefeller had no disciplinary record. 

In a brief conversation with investigators, Rockefeller said that moments before the derailment of the Hudson Line train in the Bronx he was "going along and I'm in a daze. I don't know what happened," according to a law enforcement official familiar with that conversation. 

Asked by investigators what he was thinking when he said he was dazed, the engineer said he couldn't say. Rockefeller spoke to Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York Police detectives at the crash site before he was taken to the hospital Sunday. 

National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener told a news conference that Rockefeller would have had a chance to get the necessary sleep prior to his 5 a.m. shift the day of Sunday's accident, echoing comment from Rockefeller's lawyer. 

According to NTSB representatives, results from alcohol breath tests for the train engineer were negative, and both the brake and signal systems in the deadly Metro-North accident appeared to be working. Other toxicology results have not yet come back. 
When was the accident?
where?
What kind of vehicle was it?
how did it happen?
who?
was anyone killed?
was anyone injured? yes or no only
was it human error?
Who was Rockefeller's attorney?
What does he say about it?
Did the engineer answer as to what he was thinking at the time?
was there a news conference?
What was said?
Did the lawyer agree?
was there an alcohol test?
what was the result?
what was said about the break systems?
what about signal systems?
when did rockefeller talk to the police?
where?
Sunday
Sunday's New York train derailment
New York
New York
train
 train
was nodding off and caught himself too late
was nodding off and caught himself too late
engineer
 engineer
killed four people
killed four people
injured 67 others
 injured 67 others
most people are leaning towards human error
 most people are leaning towards human error
Jeffrey Chartier
Jeffrey Chartier
He said his client had had a full night's sleep before the crash, and that Rockefeller had no disciplinary record
He said his client had had a full night's sleep before the crash, and that Rockefeller had no disciplinary record
going along and I'm in a daze. I don't know what happened
going along and I'm in a daze. I don't know what happened
Yes
 told a news conference
Rockefeller would have had a chance to get the necessary sleep prior to his 5 a.m. shift the day of Sunday's accident,
Rockefeller would have had a chance to get the necessary sleep prior to his 5 a.m. shift the day of Sunday's accident,
Yes
 echoing comment from Rockefeller's lawyer. 

Yes
results from alcohol breath tests
negative
 negative
appeared to be working
both the brake and signal systems in the deadly Metro-North accident appeared to be working
appeared to be working
 appeared to be working
day of the crash
detectives at the crash site before 
at the crash site
at the crash site