Three Fatalities Occur On Train Tracks In Two Weeks
Wolf Point Sees Two Deaths, One In Poplar
Three people have been struck and killed while crossing the railroad tracks in the past three weeks in a 20-mile stretch of the Burlington Northern Sante Fe railroad between Wolf Point and Poplar.
Darrell Christian, 40, was pronounced dead on arrival after being struck by a BNSF train passing through Poplar Friday, Aug. 21. The call came in at 4:09 p.m.
Leslie Kay Keiser, 16, of Wolf Point, died in an accident with a BNSF train passing through Wolf Point Friday, Aug. 28. BNSF spokesperson Courtney Wallace told area media that a fatal accident was reported on the rail line at a spot not designated as a rail crossing.
James W. Jackson Sr., 38, was killed Saturday, Sept. 5, while crossing the railroad tracks in the Amtrak depot area of Wolf Point. Witnesses report that Jackson was hit by an eastbound train west of the underpass near the flags. Wolf Point Police Department officers responded at 9:33 p.m. Fort Peck Tribes criminal investigators took over the scene. Jackson’s son, James Wayne Jackson Jr., was killed crossing the tracks March 28 in an unrelated incident.
Wallace said BNSF urges people to stay away from railroad tracks and to only cross at designated crossings. She offered the following safety tips: Freight trains don’t travel at fixed times and schedules for passenger trains often change. Always expect a train at each highway-rail intersection at any time. All train tracks are private property. Never walk on tracks; it’s illegal to trespass and highly dangerous. It takes the average freight train traveling at 55 mph more than a mile to stop. Trains cannot stop quickly enough to avoid a collision. Trains can move in either direction at any time. Today’s trains are quieter than ever, producing no telltale “clackety-clack.” Any approaching train is always closer, moving faster, than you think. Remember to cross train tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings and obey all warning signs and signals posted there. Stay alert around railroad tracks. Refrain from texting, headphones or other distractions that would prevent you from hearing an approaching train.
