(The following story by Kimberly K. Fu appeared on The Vacaville Reporter website on February 3, 2009.)
VACAVILLE, Calif. — A 24-year-old Dixon man was killed late Sunday after allegedly attempting to “beat” a train and failing, authorities said.
Nicholas Hall was airlifted from the North First Street incident to the University of California, Davis, Medical Center in Sacramento, where he later died.
The tragedy unfolded just before 10 p.m. as Hall and his friends were walking north in the 300 block of North First Street.
Hall, friends told police, saw the oncoming Union Pacific train and commented on it.
“The witnesses, who were the friends he was walking with, said he said, ‘Watch me, I can beat this train,'” Dixon Police Chief Don Mort said. “Unfortunately, he didn’t.”
As the train headed east on the tracks, Hall reportedly ran toward it and attempted to cross the tracks before the train passed.
Hall was struck by the left front part of the Union Pacific freight train towing a few cars and traveling at about 50 mph, police said. The victim was knocked clear of the tracks, approximately 120 feet to the east curb of the street.
The Dixon Fire Department responded for emergency medical care and an air ambulance was called.
The Dixon Police Department and the Union Pacific Police Department encourage pedestrians to stay a safe distance from the railroad tracks when trains are passing.