(The following story by Ruby Gonzales appeared on the Whittier Daily News website on May 7.)
SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. — A man repairing asphalt near a railroad crossing was killed Wednesday when he got pinned under an Amtrak train and dragged 30 feet, police said.
The man, identified as 24-year-old Xavier Arriaga of Hesperia, died at the scene.
He worked for A-Ceco, a private company doing asphalt repair on one of three tracks at Valley View Avenue and Stage Road on Wednesday, according to Whittier police spokesman Officer Jason Zuhlke.
He said there were about half a dozen people working on the northernmost track, which was subsequently shut down.
The collision was reported at 12:50 p.m.
Arriaga was moving equipment, described as a hand-held compactor, when Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner passed on a nearby track.
Train No. 774, which came from San Luis Obispo and was headed to San Diego, was traveling at about 75 mph, said Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham.
Police think Arriaga was close enough to the train that he was sucked in by wind forces and subsequently hit by a ladder on the train.
“Once struck by the ladder, he was pulled underneath the train and dragged 30 feet,” Zuhlke said.
A-Ceco is a contractor used by BNSF Railway. BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent said part of the investigation will determine why the man was on the track.
“They were not fixing the track. They were doing asphalt work,” Kent said, adding the contractor was filling a hole in the approach to the crossing.
Graham of Amtrak said neither the train’s conductor nor any of the 140 passengers were injured. The train was still there at 4:30 p.m., waiting to cleared by officials.
The collision affected three other Amtrak trains. Officials said passengers on two trains from San Diego and one at Union Station were transfered to buses or other trains.
Police closed off all adjacent intersections.
A-Ceco Equipment Company Inc. is based in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. A man who answered the phone Wednesday afternoon identified himself only as the manager. He said he didn’t have all the information and was not at liberty to discuss the incident.