Deadly U.S. Rail Crash Caused By Suicidal Man

A man attempting suicide parked his SUV in front of a Los Angeles commuter train, then jumped out in time to watch the three-train pile-up that killed 11 and injured 180.

1 minute read

January 27, 2005, 5:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen

"The collision, which involved three trains, was the deadliest U.S. rail crash since 1999...

Officials said the wreck was caused by a despondent man from Compton, identified as Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, who parked his green Jeep Grand Cherokee on the tracks that run along the border of Glendale and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Atwater Village. As Metrolink's regular commuter train No. 100 from Moorpark to Union Station bore down on him just after 6 a.m., Alvarez leaped from the vehicle, Glendale Police Chief Rick Adams said. He was arrested at the scene and, after being taken to County-USC Medical Center, was booked on suspicion of murder. Prosecutors are weighing formal charges."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Read the full story: SUV on Tracks Leads to 11 Train Fatalities

Thursday, January 27, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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