https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/19/detained-woman-struck-train-police-car/10429610002/
Okay, so they pull this gal over, detain her in their squad car parked on an active RR crossing while they search her vehicle.. And a train approaches and strikes the vehicle BEFORE the cops can rescue her? wow....
Convicted Onehttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/19/detained-woman-struck-train-police-car/10429610002/ Okay, so they pull this gal over, detain her in their squad car parked on an active RR crossing while they search her vehicle.. And a train approaches and strikes the vehicle BEFORE the cops can rescue her? wow....
Police need to be trained on more than how to shoot their weapons. It is tough to fix stupid.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Situational awareness goes a long way.
Recall the Detroit ladder truck that got hit several years ago.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Convicted Onehttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/19/detained-woman-struck-train-police-car/10429610002/
Possibly the officers believed the line to be abandoned or not in use. Just the same though, parking on the tracks never a good idea.. training required to understand that? Hopefully not..
Ulrich Possibly the officers believed the line to be abandoned or not in use. Just the same though, parking on the tracks never a good idea.. training required to understand that? Hopefully not..
The stop sign attached to the cross-bucks should have been a clue?
*relatively flat, dirt road, 400' wide FGROW with no trees. Flat sweeping light curve to the north of the crossing. Crossing itself is in the tangent.
mudchicken The stop sign attached to the cross-bucks should have been a clue?
Well, they did stop. I'm not sure how dumb or how "situationally unaware" they'd have to be to park on a busy rail line.. First clue should have been the presence of railroad tracks.. Quite possibly they knew very well that they had parked on the tracks, and leaving her in the car helpless and by herself was a move calculated to scare the living daylights out of her. That to me at least is more believable than the cops made a mistake..
Unfortunately, I suspect the officers were so focused on the possibility of the suspect having a gun she could use against them that their insticts just blocked out everything else. We had something like that happen here a while back, an officer used their gun when they meant to use their tazer when trying to arrest someone wanted for skipping bail on an armed robbery charge.
wjstix Unfortunately, I suspect the officers were so focused on the possibility of the suspect having a gun she could use against them that their insticts just blocked out everything else. We had something like that happen here a while back, an officer used their gun when they meant to use their tazer when trying to arrest someone wanted for skipping bail on an armed robbery charge.
I doubt it.. they left her alone in the patrol car while they searched her vehicle.
OvermodSure hope Platteville is insured for eight figures or better.
I was thinking the same. The engineer was no doubt traumatized by this too. And I believe that in instances of willful negligence, all "workmans comp" type exclusions are waived (not that the engineer will go after his employer, rather that no workplace limitations will shelter the city from claims made by anyone's employees)
wjstixUnfortunately, I suspect the officers were so focused on the possibility of the suspect having a gun she could use against them that their insticts just blocked out everything else.
I'd buy your explanation with one caveat. I don't believe their inattentiveness was driven by concerns for their own safety. Let's be realistic, by the time the suspect is locked in the back of the cruiser, you are also in handcuffs. I'd be willing to buy that the officers were so wrapped up in their own sense of priority, that nothing else mattered to them. I think it's sometimes called "heat of pursuit" or more charitably.... "passion for one's duty".
Of course, safety of anyone in their custody is also their duty as well. That's where it's gonna get sticky even if the gal was ~Al Capone~
So, does the railroad file charges against the city in this case? Not so much to collect damages, but just as a pre-emptive move to fix the blame, establishing the railroad as a co-plaintif.
Okay, it turns out the vic is an active TSA agent, and the crossing in question has a history.
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/train-crossing-fatal-history/73-19b1aa25-318c-4a0d-ad7d-1161398aa8aa
Crossing with no lights, signals, or gates.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
York1 Crossing with no lights, signals, or gates.
But clearly visible tracks and a crossbuck. Most every crossing has a history. Maybe that crossing could and should be improved, but that has no bearing on this event.
I find this quote from the article interesting: "The crossing doesn’t have lights, signals or gates that initiate when a train approaches." But they don't mention that the crossing has railroad tracks, crossbucks, stop signs, and a train equiped with headlights, a bell and a horn when it approaches. It's almost like the writer wants to pass the blame from the police officer onto the railroad for what happened. Was the police officer so wrapped up in his work that he didn't hear the train horn?
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Google Street View is from 2007
Murphy Siding It's almost like the writer wants to pass the blame from the police officer onto the railroad for what happened.
I think it's mostly a matter of the railroad being the deep pocketed one at the table.
Not that I agree that the RR shares responsibility. It's just the way these things always seem to play out. Throw as much blame as you can at the deep pocket, and anything that manages to stick, is seen as "victory". (JMHO)
Murphy SidingIt's almost like the writer wants to pass the blame from the police officer onto the railroad for what happened.
Public safety officer (almost) doing his job, or the big, bad railroad...
Based on what I've read, I'm putting this squarely on the cop. Situational awareness...
rdamonrdamon wrote the following post 1 hours ago: Google Street View is from 2007
Are you positive of that? Doesn't look like a main to me. I think the accident site is further east on CR 38, near where it crosses US-85
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2608498,-104.7996865,3a,75y,282.83h,73.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s82mAkeSpzNv9pJsZpjaT8Q!2e0!7i3328!8i1664
I doubt that the street view is the collision site. Even in 2021 street view any train on that track probably wouldn't exceed 5mph. It's more likely that it happened at the intersection of county road 38 and US 85 where the track would allow speeds consistent with her injuries. She correctly stopped after crossing but the cop had an incomprehensible lack of judgment in parking where he did.
Rest easy accident sleuths, the full story will be revealed when it's ready
Rick
rixflix aka Captain Video. Blessed be Jean Shepherd and all His works!!! Hooray for 1939, the all time movie year!!! I took that ride on the Reading but my Baby caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride.
rixflixI doubt that the street view is the collision site. Even in 2021 street view any train on that track probably wouldn't exceed 5mph. It's more likely that it happened at the intersection of county road 38 and US 85, where there are no crossing warnings and the track would allow speeds consistent with her injuries. She correctly stopped after crossing but the cop had an incomprehensible lack of judgment in parking where he did. Rest easy accident sleuths, the full story will be revealed when it's ready
Check my link (from the post immediately prior to yours) for the correct site, further east (across the South Platte river in fact)
Or even this one...sharing a street view similar to that in the news video
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2608211,-104.8003114,3a,16.6y,74.37h,87.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFxirtnMGX-hR1Ww8ydmB3g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Another one of those !~~ 45 degree angle crossings. I fault the police officer. But let us look at his training for stops. Just from observation do most police stops always stop directly behind & inline with the vehicle in question ? That may be to give officers protection behind their car if a gun is possible. As the articles say it was a possible gun stop.
So in this case he did stop directly behind the car stopped. Training in sstops shouldd emphasize stopping police car at a safe location.
Convicted One Or even this one...sharing a street view similar to that in the news video https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2608211,-104.8003114,3a,16.6y,74.37h,87.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFxirtnMGX-hR1Ww8ydmB3g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
That looks more probable. Of course in the 15 years since the street view was taken it could be a 4 lane road now!
But, "Hey, a train hardly ever comes by here"
I don’t see how this happened, situational awareness notwithstanding. They left their squad car parked on the track, and were searching the suspect’s car. I would assume that they were not far from their car when the train appeared. Even if they failed to notice the train until they heard the horn being blown, it should have been possible to get to their car and move it in time. But they must have frozen at that point. I suspect their training demands that officers not take a chance that puts their own life in danger in a situation like this. So a desperate rescue attempt would have been unacceptably “outside the box.”
EuclidI don’t see how this happened, situational awareness notwithstanding. They left their squad car parked on the track, and were searching the suspect’s car. I would assume that they were not far from their car when the train appeared. Even if they failed to notice the train until they heard the horn being blown,
I am trying to be careful and not use verbiage that "pro-law enforcement" types might find offensive, so if this comes across as a little vague, you'll know why. In the scenario the police were working their way through, they frequently have themselves so convinced they are "fighting the good fight", that (other) real world complications might be interpreted as a nuisance.
When seeking contraband is priority #1, other stimuli can become extraneous noise. They may have heard the horns, but believed they were on a "higher mission" is my personal suspicion.
I've been in the gal's shoes...thankfully without the RR tracks. Sat there watching them search every crevice of my interior, and fully empty the contents of my trunk onto the pavement.....for nothing. But when they perceive themselves to be on a mission, you (your personal needs and priorities) are relegated to 2nd class status...no doubt about it. And telling them there is nothing there to be found, only seems to alienate them. Just an odd set of protocols in place in such instances. (fwiw)
Convicted One Euclid I don’t see how this happened, situational awareness notwithstanding. They left their squad car parked on the track, and were searching the suspect’s car. I would assume that they were not far from their car when the train appeared. Even if they failed to notice the train until they heard the horn being blown, I am trying to be careful and not use verbiage that "pro-law enforcement" types might find offensive, so if this comes across as a little vague, you'll know why. In the scenario the police were working their way through, they frequently have themselves so convinced they are "fighting the good fight", that (other) real world complications might be interpreted as a nuisance. When seeking contraband is priority #1, other stimuli can become extraneous noise. They may have heard the horns, but believed they were on a "higher mission" is my personal suspicion. I've been in the gal's shoes...thankfully without the RR tracks. Sat there watching them search every crevice of my interior, and fully empty the contents of my trunk onto the pavement.....for nothing. But when they perceive themselves to be on a mission, you (your personal needs and priorities) are relegated to 2nd class status...no doubt about it. And telling them there is nothing there to be found, only seems to alienate them. Just an odd set of protocols in place in such instances. (fwiw)
Euclid I don’t see how this happened, situational awareness notwithstanding. They left their squad car parked on the track, and were searching the suspect’s car. I would assume that they were not far from their car when the train appeared. Even if they failed to notice the train until they heard the horn being blown,
I can understand cops believing thier higher mission should override your telling them there is nothing there to be found. But if they failed to prevent this collision because they were on a higher mission, they should have immediately changed their mission to protecting their captive passenger they left sitting on the railroad track.
Convicted OneI am trying to be careful and not use verbiage that "pro-law enforcement" types might find offensive, so if this comes across as a little vague, you'll know why. In the scenario the police were working their way through, they frequently have themselves so convinced they are "fighting the good fight", that (other) real world complications might be interpreted as a nuisance.
Recall the fervor after 9/11, when many self-appointed protectors of the public good (including LEO's) challenged perfectly legal activities (like railfanning) and simply were not to be convinced otherwise.
Common practice for years has been to park behind the vehicle being stopped, preferably lighting up the vehicle (at night) with any lights available.
It's possible the perp (recall that the police were looking for her) parked just beyond the crossing, albeit not intentionally.
This still goes back to the officer not recognizing the potential hazard of where he parked.
For the record, my father and uncle were both LEO's and I often work with officers from various area agencies as a result of responses as a firefighter.
EuclidBut if they failed to prevent this collision because they were on a higher mission, they should have immediately changed their mission to protecting their captive passenger they left sitting on the railroad track.
There is an arrogance there, okay? I don't want to beat that drum too hard, or some people will claim they are offended. But it's there. It's real. THEY ARE THE AUTHORITY.... It might be relative, but they seem to fancy themselves infallible. I've seen it often enough to know that it's not the exception.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.