Photo: News and Daily Advance, Autumn Parry
According to news reports, 21-year-old Massachusetts man died after being struck by an oncoming train in Lymchburg, Virginia. Jonathan Gregoire of Wilbraham, Massachusetts was pronounced dead on the trestle, which spans the James River.
Victoria Bridges, 21, of Newport News, VA also was on the trestle with Gregoire and suffered non-life threatening injuries. Bridges was transported by helicopter to Lynchburg General Hospital, according to police.
Robin Chapman, spokesman for Norfolk Southern, previously told the News & Advance sometimes people are on the tracks for either a shortcut home or a good overlook point. Freight trains do not keep regular schedules, they run day and night, anytime, he said.
Once again, we ask: if a separated, protected trail were there, would this needless tragedy have happened?