(The following story by J. Sebastian Sinisi appeared on the Denver Post website on May 5.)
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — In what a Union Pacific railroad spokesman called “a terrible mistake,” the family of Maureen “Missy” Martin received a $594.53 bill this week for crew time lost after a train struck her stalled car 18 months ago.
Martin was in a coma for nearly two months. Now 18, she still has slurred speech and walks with a cane. She plans to attend the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley in the fall.
Railroad spokesman John Bromley promised to send the Martins an overnight letter of apology. But Dave Martin, Missy’s father, said the bill “added insult to injury.
“I’m absolutely amazed something like this could happen,” he said of the bill received Monday.
The bill never should have been sent by the collection department, Bromley said. “In this case, the field recommendation was not to send the bill. But the claims office was having personnel turnover that resulted in this falling through the cracks.”
Missy Martin’s accident occurred Nov. 12, 2002, while she was driving to school and in a grade crossing at Fifth and Front streets, used by 17,000 vehicles per day, according to Castle Rock traffic officials.
The community outrage over the accident prompted plans for an $8.5 million flyover at the intersection; construction started this week.
Dave Martin was still upset over the letter Tuesday.
“This rubs salt in our wounds – especially in light of the new evidence,” he said.
The evidence is photos from a Union Pacific investigator, taken within an hour of the Nov. 12, 2002, accident, that the family says show broken taillight lens fragments that indicate Missy’s car was on the tracks.
Members of the train crew said they didn’t slow down because it appeared the train would clear the car, according to the Martins’ attorney, Robert Schuetze.
The Martins have sued the railroad for undisclosed damages, and the new evidence will be part of a pretrial hearing scheduled for Aug. 23 in Douglas County Court.