(The following story by George Warren appeared on the News 10 website on April 19. Roy Cocreham is a member of BLET Division 144 in Oakland, Calif.)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An engineer on Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor service remains hospitalized following a Monday night attack by a group of young people that had been blocking the tracks in West Sacramento.
The engineer, identified by Amtrak only as a man in his 30s, suffered injuries from thrown rocks and bottles when he left the cab. He was expected to be released from the UC Davis Medical Center on Thursday.
Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham said the eastbound Capitol Corridor train #546 was approaching the I Street bridge after 10 p.m. when the engineer stopped for a group of roughly seven people blocking the tracks.
He had already been alerted to the presence of “trespassers” on the tracks and had reduced his speed, according to Graham.
Both the engineer and a conductor left the train to try to clear the group when they were attacked, she said.
The conductor was not injured and a student engineer brought the train the short distance to the Sacramento station.
“We’ve had small acts of vandalism on this stretch of the rail line for generations,” said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. “But the magnitude, the barbaric quality of what happened Monday evening is what we’re really concerned about.”
Train crews interviewed by News10 said they’re concerned as well.
In a separate incident the day after the West Sacramento assault, another Capitol Corridor engineer was slightly injured by a rock thrown in Richmond.
“We’re basically under attack every day,” said Capitol Corridor engineer Roy Cocreham. “It’s actually a very common thing. Getting rocks thrown at us, getting shot at.”
Graham said there’s no specific policy regarding crews leaving the trains. She said the incident remains under investigation and security procedures are being reviewed.
Police questioned several people following the Monday night attack. One juvenile was charged with attempted murder and faces 14 felony counts, including assault with a deadly weapon, train robbery, vandalism and criminal street gang activity.
Because of the severity of the attack, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig is charging the 17 year old as an adult.
A D.A.’s office spokesman said the teen is a documented member of the infamous Broderick Boys street gang. The gang was the target of a February 2005 injunction increasing penalties for gang members committing crimes in West Sacramento.
The teen is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.