The investigation continues into the tragic train crash in Bronx, New York last week that took the lives of four passengers and resulted in personal injuries to dozens more. There are now reports that the engineer of the Metro-North train may have nodded off before waking up just seconds before the massive passenger train derailed.
This past Sunday morning, December 1, 2013, the New York City-bound train derailed after going around a slow curve at excessive speeds. The train had been traveling at 82 miles per hour into the 30 miles per hour curve near the Spuyten Duyvil train station. The locomotive and seven cars derailed, toppling over and coming to a stop just inches from the Hudson River. Four of the passengers were killed and dozens more were severely injured in the tragic train accident.
Investigators of the fatal accident have stated that the brake systems did not fail, leaving the investigation to center on the engineer and his crew. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transit Authority reports that the engineer was both qualified and experienced on the Hudson line route. Nonetheless, reports are revealing the engineer “caught himself” nodding off just before the fatal train crash.
The union leader reports that the engineer likely dazed off, but jolted back when he heard a whistle warning him that he was traveling too fast. He applied the brakes, but not quickly enough to save the train from derailing.
The engineer, William Rockefeller Jr., is cooperating with law enforcement authorities to uncover for certain whether the tragic train accident was caused by human error or mechanical malfunction. Drug and alcohol tests are still pending, and the engineer’s phone records are being consulted to determine what, if any, distractions could have caused the fatal train crash.
Train crashes can result in serious personal injuries and even death that can greatly disrupt the life of the victims and their families. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a Massachusetts train accident, and would like to find out whether you have a viable legal claim for monetary damages, please call 617-787-3700 or email info@gilhoylaw.com, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to speak with an expert Massachusetts train crash attorney, Massachusetts personal injury accident attorney or Boston, MA wrongful death lawyer.
If you would like to talk to an expert in Massachusetts train wreck law, call 617-787-3700 for a free, confidential consultation with one of our highly skilled Boston train accident lawyers, Boston, MA personal injury lawyers or Boston, Massachusetts wrongful death accident attorneys.
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