(Olivehurst, California – June 16, 2011)
An unidentified male estimated to be of middle or high school age, was hit from behind and killed by a Union Pacific freight train about 7:45 P.M. Thursday evening in this Yuba County town. The accident happened on Union Pacific Railroad tracks east of the Yuba County Airport, and both the victim and the train were northbound.
The co-pastors of a nearby church, James and Romney DeGroodt of the Full Gospel Shield of Faith Church, said that people commonly walk on and around the railroad tracks, especially in the evening, and that the victim was wearing a backpack and had a hand-held video game. Several disks were scattered around the scene, but it was unknown if the victim had been wearing headphones. Regardless, two hours after the tragedy, Union Pacific officials were still denying news media personnel access to the site.
