Clinton morning rush-hour traffic was snarled for an extended time for the third day this week after a 58-year-old Kinards area man was struck by a train Downtown around 7:30 yesterday morning. Public Safety Officer Byers was dispatched to Broad at Main at 7:31 and found an officer who had just finished a shift was already on scene rendering aid to the man. Both officers continued assisting the man until fire and EMS arrived.
The train conductor told Officer Byers that the train had just crossed over Carolina Avenue and was arriving at the North Broad crossing when he observed the man walking near the tracks, and that he appeared to be crossing the railroad. He said the man stepped over the rail and began walking eastbound in the middle of the tracks with his back to the train. The conductor indicated that the rail crossing lights were working properly, and that he blew the horn in an attempt to get the man’s attention but he didn’t get off the tracks. The conductor then applied emergency brakes, but even at a relatively slow speed it took some 248 feet for the train to come to a stop. The man was reportedly drug under the train some 38 feet. He was under the train in a fetal position with a severe cut observed to the side of his face.
The man was airlifted for medical treatment. The train was able to move and restore traffic flow by about 9:40 yesterday morning.