MARCH 12, 2015
WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS
A pedestrian was fatally struck by a Metra train Thursday
afternoon, according to Woodstock fire officials.
Thursday's fatal pedestrian-train incident appears to be a
suicide involving a teenage girl, the McHenry County Sheriff's Office said.
A report of a pedestrian being struck by a Union Pacific
Northwest Metra train west of the Lily Pond Road crossing in Woodstock came in
at 1:08 p.m., according to a news release from the Woodstock Fire/Rescue
District.
McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski announced in a news
release that her office is investigating the death of the victim, whose
identity is not being released at this time.
This incident comes days after the suicide of 18-year-old
Adrian Salazar, who was found Monday in Canterbury Park in Crystal Lake.
Salazar had been missing since March 1.
Sheriff's Deputy Aimee Knop implored anyone who feels upset
to talk to somebody, whether it's a friend, a family member, a teacher or a
counselor. She added it's especially important for parents to be cognizant and
proactive when it comes to their own kids.
"Parents and friends need to be observant of their
child's [or friend's] behaviors," Knop added. "Do they see anything
on social media? Do they see any signs that they're upset?"
Anyone feeling depressed or upset in any way are strongly
encouraged to access local resources, namely the 24-7 McHenry County Crisis
Line, 800-892-8900.
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Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded at 1:08 p.m. to a
report of a pedestrian fatally struck by a Metra train on the Union Pacific
Northwest Line west of the Lily Pond Road crossing in Woodstock, according to a
news release from the district.
Metra spokesman Michael Gillis confirmed the Harvard-bound
train struck a pedestrian about a mile northwest of Lily Pond Road. The McHenry
County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene, according to scanner reports.
Buses took Metra passengers to their destinations, and
shortly before 5 p.m., Metra officials said on its Twitter page that Northwest
Line trains had returned to their normal schedule.
All Union Pacific Northwest Line trains had been stopped at
the downtown Crystal Lake station until the tracks reopened, Gillis said. The
train in question had been scheduled to arrive in Harvard at 1:20 p.m., and
Gillis said he has received no reports of injuries among the passengers.
The incident comes about two weeks after a car-vs.-train
crash at the Lily Pond Road crossing that killed a 19-year-old Woodstock woman,
most likely because of icy road conditions.
This is an obvious case of suicide by train. They have
been happening all over the US. It has been a harsh, very harsh winter in
the mid-Atlantic and northeast and some people have reached their limits and
they crack.