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2006 Slush Pile

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Town finally got Darwin award

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Man hit in head by train is dead

Similar accident broke his leg in '99

By JAYETTE BOLINSKI STAFF WRITER

Published Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Alcohol was "definitely a factor" in a freight train accident that killed a Springfield man, Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson said Monday.

Floyd F. Dodd, 35, of the 800 block of South Second Street suffered critical head injuries Sunday night and was taken to Memorial Medical Center. He was pronounced dead there at 2:55 p.m. Monday.

Dodd, the fourth local resident to be struck by a train this month, also was hit by a train in 1999.

Sunday's accident happened about 9:45 p.m. on the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks in the 1700 block of North Milton Avenue.

The train's engineer and conductor told deputies the train was traveling east at 40 mph when they saw what appeared to be trash or debris lying on the tracks about 50 yards ahead. When they were about 25 yards away, they realized it was a person. They immediately braked, but it was too late to avoid striking Dodd.

The railroad workers said it appeared that Dodd had his head on the rail, using it as a pillow. He was on the south side of the tracks just west of where Milton Street is blocked off at the former railroad crossing. A can of beer, a pack of cigarettes and a bicycle were found nearby.

It was not clear whether Dodd had made any effort to get out of the way before the train struck him. He had an elevated blood-alcohol level, authorities said.

The train, which originated in Moberly, Mo., and was headed for Decatur, had 80 cars and five engines. It was a little more than a mile long and weighed more than 6,000 tons, authorities said.

An inquest will be conducted, Coroner Susan Boone said.

In November 1999, Dodd fell asleep on railroad tracks just north of 19th Street and North Grand Avenue and was hit by a Norfolk Southern train. Police said he was sleeping with his legs across the tracks and that the train pushed him to the side when it hit him. He suffered a compound fracture to one leg and a cut to the other.

Three other local residents have been injured by trains in just over a week.

On Aug. 6, Alex R. Woods, 21, of the 1500 block of Reed Avenue suffered a fractured skull and severe injuries to his arm when an Amtrak train hit him as he and a friend were sitting on the railroad bridge that crosses Lake Springfield west of the 7000 block of Iron Bridge Road and east of the Interurban Trail. He was listed in serious condition Monday at Memorial Medical Center.

The friend, Terry Drennan, 20, of the 3100 block of Cumberland Drive, jumped into the lake, but Woods was unable to get out of the way before being clipped by the train and falling down an embankment.

On Wednesday, two people were struck by freight trains in separate incidents.

Sascha A. Hullinger, 35, of the 700 block of North 17th Street was hit as she attempted to cross tracks at 11th Street and Ridgely Avenue about 2:40 a.m. She told police she saw a train stopped and thought she had enough time to cross the tracks before it began moving again, but she slipped and fell. The train severed her left foot. She was listed in fair condition Monday at Memorial.

About 4:30 p.m. that day, 37-year-old Anthony D. Esslinger of the 2700 block of South Spring Street walked into the side of a train on the Norfolk Southern tracks in the 300 block of East Iles Avenue. Witnesses told police it looked as if Esslinger was trying to beat the westbound train as it approached. The train clipped his arm and spun him around, throwing him away from the tracks. He was also in fair condition Monday at Memorial.

Williamson said there is no rhyme or reason to the recent rash of incidents involving trains and pedestrians.

"We can go along for two or three years and not have one, then you can have three in a month," he said. "It's like anything. It's just the law of averages, just freak things."

Jayette Bolinski can be reached at 788-1530 or jayette.bolinski@sj-r.com.

Submitted on 08/15/2006

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: State Journal Register 8/15/06

>> Moderator Scores <<

Fitzroy said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
I'm not sure what will happen with this one, but since I'm entertaining positive thoughts on it now, I'll set aside possible objections to the incident. However, there is no new information here. Even so, the contribution is appreciated.

James said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
Thanks for taking the time to submit, but we have this story already under consideration and there’s no new info here!

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Town finally got Darwin award

2006 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

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2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

>> The Darwin Awards, by Wendy Northcutt <<
Link to Fight Evil.