A Florida man was fatally injured in a pedestrian vs. train accident last Thursday afternoon at approximately 3 p.m. when he stepped onto a set of train tracks near State Road 434 after the crossing arms had already been lowered. The train was unable to stop in time and the man was subsequently struck by the SunRail commuter which was travelling northbound near the city of Longwood.
The Longwood Fire Department was immediately dispatched to the scene of the accident, where firefighters pronounced the man dead shortly thereafter. At the time of the crash, there were 2 crew members and 51 passengers aboard the train, none of which were injured.
It is currently unclear as to why the pedestrian was on the tracks after the safety arms had been engaged, and all train activity in the area was suspended while the local authorities conducted their investigation. No additional details on this case are available at this time, and police have stated that the victim’s name is being withheld until the next of kin has been notified. SunRail had recently resumed services after Hurricane Irma pummelled a vast majority of Florida earlier this month, bringing most mass-transit operations to a complete stand-still.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, this is the 6th fatal SunRail train accident to be recorded this year. Just shy of a month ago on August 28th, 70-year-old Stewart Lashley, a bicycle repair mechanic from Longwood, was mortally wounded while riding his bike home after a day of volunteering. He was struck and killed shortly after crossing onto the railroad tracks. Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes released the following statement after Thursday’s tragic incident: “When the crossing arms go down, that is the absolute finite warning to tell you that it’s not safe to go past that point because there is a train going and that train has the right of way, always, 100 percent of the time.”
If you or a loved one have been injured in a SunRail commuter train accident, please contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free initial consultation.
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James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a vehicle accident, call at (386) 243-4994.
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