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Emergency crews pull a man from under a Union and Pacific Train on Wednesday afternoon after he laid down on the railway tracks in near the Lodi Train Station. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)
Man hit by train
Witnesses: Victim lay down across tracks as train approached
Lodi Avenue was closed for an hour Wednesday after a man apparently tried to commit suicide by stepping into the path of an oncoming train, police said.
The 58-year-old man was conscious at the scene, south of the Downtown train depot next to Sacramento Street. He was taken by ambulance to Lodi Memorial Hospital.
According to initial witness accounts, the pedestrian was walking down the middle of the train tracks at 3:17 p.m., said Lodi Police Detective Eric Bradley.
"He saw the train, turned around and laid down across the rails," Bradley said, basing that on statements from the train conductor.
The conductor blared the horn and began trying to stop the 37-car northbound train, which was traveling about 15 mph and had just passed Lodi Avenue.
Noise from the horn and brakes got the attention of John Bartles, who works at Ogren's Auctions.
He heard "a lot of screeching metal, like brakes," and said the train horn was sounding much longer than normal.
Bartles ran to the scene and saw the man lying under the train. He was screaming and moaning, Bartles said.
The victim was dragged about 75 feet before the train came to a full stop.
Pedestrians and bicyclists gathered at the scene along both sides of the railroad tracks.
Hai Lohrke said she was walking west to check her mail at the nearby Post Office and saw the man walking slowly before he was struck. She said it was the second time she'd been in the area when a man was hit by a train there.
"It's not the train's fault," she said. "I feel sorry for the train driver."
Police did not release the victim's name. Lodi Memorial Hospital did not release information on the victim's status as of press time.
Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.
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Layla Bohm, reporter wrote on Sep 18, 2009 5:45 PM:
As for where the man landed, witnesses said that yes, the man was under the train and that paramedics and firefighters were able to slide him out on a back board. "
95242 wrote on Sep 17, 2009 11:16 PM:
" If you have never had a family member do this sort of thing, then you are one of these crass bloggers. If you have empathy for those who feel the hopelessness that causes someone to do this, then let me apologize for these fools for they know nothing of the pain that comes before the action of this poor man.
I have never had a family member do anything like this, but I still have empathy for someone who feels this hopeless. I'm afraid we are going to see more of this kind of thing happening. So many people have lost their jobs, their homes, their savings! You refer to crass bloggers. The term crass bloggers is too good for them. "
jbhiker wrote on Sep 17, 2009 7:19 PM:
dogs4you wrote on Sep 17, 2009 6:27 PM:
There have been 3 suicides by train in the Bay Area in the past month, most were teenagers. "
Great American Trucker wrote on Sep 17, 2009 4:15 PM:
jbhiker wrote on Sep 17, 2009 2:48 PM:
Whoa Nellie! wrote on Sep 17, 2009 2:47 PM:
IMHO, the train conductor & engineer are the victims.
The word "patient" could be used in the end when saying LMH had no update on his medical status. "
T C wrote on Sep 17, 2009 1:37 PM:
boonablis wrote on Sep 17, 2009 9:54 AM:
Journey wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:58 AM:
1stocktonian wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:24 AM:
jbhiker wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:23 AM:
1stocktonian wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:23 AM:
smokeater8 wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:02 AM:
DeputyChief wrote on Sep 17, 2009 7:52 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.