(The following story by Kara L. Richardson appeared on the Courier News website on April 10.)
LONG HILL, N.J. — A Bernards man who was running on the tracks in front of a moving NJ Transit train Monday got caught, dragged beneath it and suffered serious injuries, authorities said.
Long Hill Township police Chief Michael Peoples said it appears that William C. Corson, 47, of the Basking Ridge section, purposely crossed into the oncoming train’s path. He was in serious condition Monday night at Morristown Memorial Hospital, a nursing supervisor said.
Just after 1 p.m. Monday, the eastbound train was about to stop at the Millington Train Station, near the Main Street, Millington crossing when Corson was struck and dragged.
An attempt to reach Corson’s family Monday evening was unsuccessful.
Dan Stessel, an NJ Transit spokesman, said the engineer saw Corson running between the two rails, in the same direction as the train as it approached Millington Station. Stessel said the engineer blew the horn and used the emergency brake but was unable to stop in time.
The Long Hill Township Fire Department had to extricate Corson, who was trapped beneath the train. Members of the Long Hill Township First Aid Squad and paramedics from Overlook Hospital treated Corson at the scene. He suffered serious head and body trauma.
The first-aid squad took Corson to the Millington School where they met a New Jersey State Police NorthSTAR helicopter. He was then flown to Morristown Memorial Hospital.
A bell on the train clang continuously Monday as police — which included members of Long Hill Township Police, NJ Transit Police, Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Bernards Township Police — investigated. Investigators circled the train and station with police tape. Some people pressed against the police tape, wondering what happened.
Susan Ruggerio got stuck at a down crossing signal further down Long Hill Road while police investigated.
“I was waiting and waiting and there was no train,” said Ruggerio, who drove west and came upon the police tape.
The train that struck Corson, number 424, left Gladstone at 12:40 p.m. and was heading toward Hoboken, Stessel said. There were 15 passengers aboard and three crew members. None were injured during the emergency stop, Stessel said. All flashing lights and bells were working at the train crossing, he said.
Four trains — two in each direction — were delayed on the Gladstone Line between Hoboken and Gladstone, Stessel said. Service returned to normal at about 3 p.m.