Teen in Serious Condition after Being Struck by SunRail Train in Orange County
Yet another person was struck by a SunRail train in Orange County this month, and police are currently working on the case to uncover just what happened and why. Preliminary reports from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office suggest that it was around 5:30 on the evening of Thursday, August 30th, when the 14-year-old boy was walking home from a nearby area where he and a few of his friends had been playing basketball. The young people had been engaged in their game for an unspecified amount of time, but after they finished playing they went their separate ways, and the teenager in question found themselves walking along or crossing the SunRail lines at a certain point on his way.
At the same time as the teenager was on the tracks, a P329 train was headed down this same stretch of SunRail line. It is not clear how many people were on board the train at the time, but among their number it is known that there were a few of the deputies working with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The deputies on the train were on their way home after working at an unspecified courthouse.
When the train struck the boy, these deputies were among the first to respond and offer assistance until the other emergency response teams could arrive. These teams, including paramedics, reached the area shortly afterward and began to administer medical care to the badly injured boy. He was subsequently airlifted from the area of the incident and rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center where he was admitted as being in serious condition. At the time of this writing, the boy remains in the hospital and there are no current updates on his condition.
The collision between the boy and the train is currently under investigation by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is not clear if the area where the collision occurred is one of those expecting construction of a larger fence or if this stretch of track was previously believed to be a safe corridor.
Updates from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in relation to this incident will happen on their website or local news agencies.
Sources:
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.