On Monday night, September 12, a teen was struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit Train.

According to the Metro-North Railroad, 19 year old Lewis Roemer of Hyde Park, Dutchess County was struck about 7 p.m. Monday near Shoddy Hollow and Carboy roads when he was allegedly trespassing on the eastern tracks of the Otisville train station in Orange County. He was fatally hit by Train 55 which had departed from Hoboken, New Jersey at 5.15 p.m., and was scheduled to arrive in Port Jervis, Orange County, at 7.23 p.m. The engineer on the train, stated that he saw a male step onto the tracks and make no effort to get off them as the horn was sounded.

The engineer slammed on the brakes in an effort to avoid hitting the person but was unable to stop in time. Roemer was pronounced dead at the scene. None of the passengers or crew on the train was injured.

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department, there was no criminality involved in the incident but the investigation is ongoing.

If you were involved in an accident, please call the Poughkeepsie accident attorneys of Denlea & Carton LLP., at (914) 331-0100 right away or contact us online today.

On Monday, November 16, a claim against Metro North was settled by an assistant conductor for at least $835,000.

The railroad was sued following the December 2013 accident in the Bronx by 47 year old Maria Herbert, of Wallkill, who claimed she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has been unable to return to work following the crash which was due to an engineer falling asleep at the controls.

The case was being heard by a federal jury when both sides agreed on a high-low settlement which means that if the jury awarded more than the agreement amount, Herbert would have had that but if it were lower she would have to accept the lower amount.

As it happened the $835,000 was below the lowest amount but due to a confidentiality agreement the exact amount is unknown.

The Hudson Line train derailed while going 82 mph along a curve marked for 30 mph and four passengers died and dozens were injured.

So far, Metro North has paid out $22.2 million in claims following the crash and federal investigators discovered that an automatic braking system was not being used when the train derailed.

If you were involved in an accident, please call the Poughkeepsie accident attorneys of Denlea & Carton LLP., at (914) 331-0100 right away or contact us online today.

The widow of a Poughkeepsie man who was killed in a Metro North train crash is to sue the railroad.

Back at the beginning of February, 53 year old Eric Vendercar was riding a Metro North train when it crashed into an SUV which was stopped in the middle of the tracks in Valhalla at Commerce Street.

His widow, Jill Shiner Vandercar is suing a range of people and corporations stating that the crossing itself was dangerous but in addition the emergency exits and doors were faulty and could not be opened or they took too much time to open, which led to passengers being trapped inside the train and led to their injuries, and in some cases, death.

In addition, she says that there was poor decision making on which also contributed to the death of her husband, a Roy C. Ketcham High School graduate.

Shiner Vandercar is not suing the estate of the SUV driver, who was 49 year old Ellen Brody. She along with five passengers, including Vandercar all died in the crash.

If you were involved in an accident, please call the Poughkeepsie accident attorneys of Denlea & Carton LLP., at (914) 331-0100 right away or contact us online today.

On Wednesday morning, March 26, a Poughkeepsie man was hit by a train and killed.

According to Mechanicville police, the accident happened shortly before 5 a.m. when James G. Pelton was hit by a Norfolk Southern train headed west at the city line. Having hit Pelton at the end of Sheehan Street near Railroad Street, the train was stopped immediately and the Viall Avenue railroad crossing was closed.

Police went on to say that they are not exactly sure where Pelton was prior to the accident but that they know he was in the area working at the GlobalFoundries site, although he was not a direct employee of GlobalFoundries but working for a sub-contractor, DSi who were supporting tool installation at the Fab 8 campus.

Also at the scene assisting were the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, State Police and railroad police from both Canadian Pacific and Boston and Maine.

At this time foul play is not suspected and the incident is being called an accident.

If you were involved in an auto accident, please call the Poughkeepsie motor vehicle accident attorneys of Denlea & Carton LLP., at (914) 331-0100 right away or contact us online today.