A judge refused today to dismiss murder and other charges against a man accused of parking his SUV on railroad tracks and causing a Metrolink derailment that killed 11 people and injured more than 180 others in January 2005.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David S. Wesley rejected the defense's contention that "skimpy" evidence had been presented at a May 2005 hearing in which another judge, William R. Pounders, ordered Juan Manuel Alvarez to stand trial.

In oral arguments before Wesley, defense attorney Michael R. Belter focused on an arson charge against Alvarez and noted that "all the deaths were caused by blunt force trauma."

Deputy District Attorney John Monaghan countered that Alvarez picked a point in time when there was rush-hour traffic and was seen pouring liquid on the exterior of this Jeep Cherokee before driving further down the railroad tracks and setting the vehicle's hand brake.

"He used that Metrolink train as a match," the prosecutor said.

Wesley noted that the defense contends Alvarez was trying to commit suicide, but his previous legal team did not put forth any evidence to that effect during the 2005 preliminary hearing.

"That's not something I'm going to consider," Wesley said, noting that he would only consider what was presented during the preliminary hearing.