Legal news for Massachusetts Personal Injury attorneys— MBTA commuter train struck and fatally injured a pedestrian who was crossing the tracks reported Massachusetts police.
Newburyport, MA (NewYorkInjuryNews.com) – A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter train struck and fatally injured a Haverhill police officer on Saturday, November 28, 2009, according to The Daily News of Newburyport.
The retired police officer was walking across the pedestrian crosswalk on the train tracks, when the conductor slammed on the emergency brake to stop the train, but could not slow down enough to avoid striking him. Police rushed to the scene to find the 63-year-old Haverhill police officer fatally injured with a potential traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The officer identified as Richard E. Witkiewicz’s, died when his injuries proved fatal at the scene. The train was traveling about 30 miles an hour, when the conductor spotted the officer on the tracks as the train quickly approached the platform while sounding the warning horn and bell. The train had departed from Boston at 4:30 p.m. and reportedly arrived in Newburyport at 5:32 p.m.
Officials believed that this was an unfortunate and tragic accident. Witkiewicz was apparently planning to take a train to Boston that afternoon. His sister, identified as Janet Witkiewicz, commented on the tragic accident that killed her brother saying that “He’ll be missed. He was a great guy to a lot of people.”
Bridget Hom
www.NewYorkInjuryNews.com