THE TRUCK OPERATOR who drove into the restricted access Silver Line tunnel on Friday morning had “no malicious intent,” according to an MBTA spokesman.

Joe Pesaturo, a spokesman for the T, said the truck driver, who was not identified, “unwittingly tailed” a Silver Line vehicle onto the ramp and into the tunnel. Pesaturo said an MBTA official at the first stop inside the tunnel – World Trade Center – tried to alert the truck driver that he was not allowed there but the driver continued on and finally came to a halt between the stop for the federal courthouse and South Station. The truck caused damage to the tunnel that was not fully repaired until Sunday.

“Transit Police detectives, who interviewed the truck operator, concluded the incident was an accident and there was no malicious intent,” Pesaturo said.  “MBTA Operations and Safety/Security personnel are reviewing the incident as they work to identify additional methods for hardening the portal entrance.  An immediate first step is to fabricate and install additional signage to alert motorists that the ramp and tunnel are for buses only.   T personnel will also explore any technological solutions to prevent another occurrence.”

No estimate for the cost of the damage was immediately available.