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Train Kills Man
Trying to Kill Woman
By CHRISTINA ALMEIDA, Associated
Press Writer
Tue May 22, 11:43 AM
LOS ANGELES - A man trying to kill his girlfriend by stopping a
car in front of an approaching train was himself killed Monday
when the train hit the vehicle and launched it into him as he
tried to flee, police said.
The girlfriend survived.
The man drove the car in front of a group of other vehicles
stopped at a railroad crossing in the San Fernando Valley
neighbourhood of Sunland, Officer Mike Lopez said.
The driver, who was seen arguing with his girlfriend, parked the
car on the tracks and jumped out, leaving her behind, Lopez
said.
A northbound commuter train hit the rear of the car, hurling it
into the man. The girlfriend was taken to the hospital, where
she was in stable condition, Lopez said.
"She gets hit by a train and lives. He gets hit by his own car
and he dies," Lopez said.
The train was heading from downtown to Lancaster in northern Los
Angeles County at the time of the 12:08 p.m. crash, said Denise
Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for Metrolink.
There were no injuries on the train, which carried 132
passengers and crew members, Tyrrell said. The train had
superficial damage.
The train's speed wasn't immediately known. The limit in the
area is 79 mph, Tyrrell said. At that speed, it would take
one-third of a mile to stop, she said.
It is highly unusual for someone to survive being struck by a
train, Tyrrell said.
"The train to your car is like your car to a soda pop can. It's
just not going to be a fair fight," Tyrrell said.
Found at:
http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat=DOMESTIC&fn=/2007/05/21/669243.html&cvqh=itn_train |