Updated at 1:53 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A bicyclist who tried to cross the tracks as a freight train was approaching in downtown Centralia last night fell off his bike and was killed by the train.
Officers dispatched at about 11:22 p.m. found him deceased and laying on the tracks, according to the Centralia Police Department.
It happened near the intersection of Locust and Railroad avenues.
Police learned the man had been pedaling east and continued even though the crossing arms were down.
“Witnesses say the subject fell off his bike and was unable to move off the tracks prior to being hit by the train,” detective Patty Finch said in a news release this morning.
Finch said she believes he is local, and 72 years old, but detectives are not releasing his name.
Detectives, law enforcement with BNSF and the coroner’s office were on the scene until about 2:30 a.m.
Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod said he may be able to reach out to the likely next-of-kin today, but won’t have a confirmed identity of the individual until after the autopsy tomorrow.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Guilty Bystander in the newest article posted it turns out he fell from his Bike. So all the whistles and rumbling wouldnt have helped. A look out. Operated warning system needs to be in place. Lows systems save lives…
Can’t think of any modern technology that should be as effective as an obnoxious train whistle, a glaring engine headlight and rumbling ground below (let alone flashing lights on a crossing arm in the “down” position), SG. Anyone who can’t catch on to clues like that is clearly choosing to ignore their own safety.
And I like your way of thinking, Bill. We’re all going to go out someday so we may as well go out with a smile.
They might just be getting more drunk more often. I would be interested in the BAC on this one. Of course it just could have been his appointment to exit this world. I will probably get drunk for mine.
@ Beverly Jean– People take chances on the lottery , not thinking they can outrun a train..That’s simply ” idiotic “
“Look, Listen, and Live” is the slogan that railroads use to try (and I mean TRY) to raise awareness of rail safety. As a crew-van driver for the railroads I saw some hairy shit happen, and not all of it was survivable. Some of it was genuine mistakes, but the majority of it was lack of patience and judgement. Trains can be a pain if you’re running late, but getting in a hurry in front of THOUSANDS of tons (your average 100 car freight train runs 10-15 k tons) of metal moving at 60 mph is just not a healthy choice. LOOK, LISTEN, and LIVE!!!
…People are not getting ‘ more idiotic’ , they seem to take chances . This is not a new trend either , it’s been going on since the tracks were built and the the crossing signals and crossing arms were installed …They think they can make it ..they think they can cross . Sometimes in a hurry they take chances. I have seen people on foot, bikes, motorcycles, vehicles break there way across , they misjudge the distance maybe ..living on the East side of the tracks we have witnessed many times..
ARE PEOPLE GETTING MORE IDIOTIC NOWADAYS TO THINK THEY CAN OUTRUN A TRAIN? I FEEL SORRY THAT THIS MAN’S LOVED ONES HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND IT COULD OF BEEN AVOIDED IF THIS MAN WOULD OF NOT CROSSED WHEN THE CROSSING ARMS WERE DOWN! THE ARMS AREN’T PUT THERE FOR LOOKS
Look out operated warning systems or (Lows) is a new device that helps save lives. But since Centralia is always last in the state to get modern technology more lives will be lost dur to trains. Sometimes i think these train track deaths are suicides. We need a (Lows) device installed here in Centralia.