Thursday, March 21, 2013
The DuPage County Coroner's Office is waiting on the victim's toxicology results before announcing a cause in the first of three recent fatal incidents along the BNSF tracks.
Those who want to know what officially led to the deaths of three men stuck by Metra trains in separate incidents this month will have to be patient. DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said Wednesday afternoon his office is still investigating the causes of the incidents that took place in Westmont on March 7, in Hinsdale on March 18, and in Downers Grove on March 19, and have yet to determine whether any of the victims intended to be hit or were hit by accident. The cause of the first incident, in which a 31-year-old Hickory Hills man was struck by a Metra train near the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont, won't be released until Jorgensen's office receives the victim's toxicology results. That, the coroner said, will likely take two …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said the cause of the Tuesday morning collision is still under investigation.
The man who died Tuesday morning after he was struck by an eastbound Metra commuter train at the Forest Avenue crossing near downtown Downers Grove was a 21-year-old Downers Grove resident, DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said Wednesday. Jorgensen said initial findings show the man died of multiple head and chest traumas, but whether he intended to be hit or was accidentally hit has not yet been determined. "Our investigation is ongoing," he said. The incident occurred around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. According to Downers Grove police, the pedestrian disobeyed Forest Avenue crossing gates that were down before he was struck by the train that was preparing to stop at the Downers Grove-Main Street station. "Witnesses stated that the …
The male pedestrian who died Tuesday morning after being struck by an eastbound commuter train near the Forest Avenue crossing disobeyed crossing gates that were down, police said.
Three pedestrians have died after being struck by BNSF Metra trains this month in Hinsdale, Westmont and Downers Grove. Most recently, a male pedestrian was hit by a train near downtown Downers Grove on Tuesday morning.
Roughly 25 to 30 fatal collisions involving Metra trains occur across the Chicagoland system each year, Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said, but pinning down trends is difficult. “It’s not possible to discern a pattern,” Gillis said, citing unofficial statistics kept by Metra’s media relations department. “Sometimes they happen once every couple weeks, sometimes we get a few happening in quick succession and then don’t have one for a long time.” Three fatal train-on-pedestrian collisions have occurred along BNSF tracks in the western suburbs within a 12-day span this month. The first was on March 7, when a 31-year-old Hickory Hills man was struck by a train near the Cass Avenue BNSF crossing in Westmont. On the afternoon of Monday, …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
It was the third train-on-pedestrian fatality in the last two weeks on the stretch of BNSF railway between Hinsdale and Downers Grove.
Updated at 4:30 p.m. The DuPage County Coroner's Office does know the identity of the male pedestrian who was killed by an eastbound train near downtown Downers Grove Tuesday morning, but is withholding all information, including age and residence, until all next of kin are notified, chief deputy coroner Charlie Dastych said. 12:21 p.m. The male pedestrian who died Tuesday morning after being struck by an eastbound commuter train near the Forest Avenue crossing in Downers Grove disobeyed crossing gates that were down, according to a statement released by the Downers Grove Police Department at 11:48 a.m. According to the statement, the incident was reported to police at 9:49 a.m. A Metra spokesman said the collision itself occurred around 9…
Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom said it appears the man intended to be struck; the train was carrying passengers and was passing through the West Hinsdale train station when it hit the man.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom said it appears the man intended to be struck; the train was carrying passengers and was passing through the West Hinsdale train station when it hit the man.
Updated at 8:31 p.m. The 42-year-old man who died after he was struck by a Metra train passing through the West Hinsdale train station Monday afternoon was from Clarendon Hills, according to Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom. Bloom said Monday night that, though the department is waiting on a coroner's report, it appears based on witness accounts and surveillance video of the incident that the man intentionally stepped in front of the train. "We can say fairly conclusively that it does not appear to be an accident," Bloom said. Bloom said the train that hit the man at approximately 3 p.m. was traveling through the West Hinsdale station when it hit the man. The chief estimated the train, which was carrying commuters, would have been …
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Eric Bennett of Hickory Hills was killed Thursday evening after he was hit by an eastbound Metra train at the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Eric Bennett of Hickory Hills was killed Thursday evening after he was hit by an eastbound Metra train at the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont.
Updated at 4:57 p.m. Westmont Police Department officials investigating the death of Eric Bennett, the 31-year-old Hickory Hills man struck by a Metra train Thursday at the Cass Avenue crossing, are waiting to see Metra's onboard video from that train before releasing any information about what led to the fatal collision, Sgt. Stephen Thompson said Friday afternoon. "At that point we’ll have more information," Thompson said. Typically, he said, Metra gets that video to investigators within seven days of the incident. Original story: The Westmont Police Department has released the identity of the man who died Thursday night after being struck by a Metra train in Westmont. The deceased is 31-year-old Eric Bennett of Hickory Hills, according…
Trains resumed slowly through the area Thursday evening as police continued their investigation.
Katie A
11:11 am on Friday, April 12, 2013
I agree. I ride the trains every day, and hear VERY little about safety measures. In fact, these are the same trains that routinely had doors open while traveling, and daily I'd hear the conductors say "The door won't close? Oh, just kick it a few times, it'll close eventually." Not that I'm blaming Metra for people walking in front of trains, but I'd hardly call them safety conscious. more ›