Train, dirt bike crash; teen hurt
P'burg boy in critical condition
Thursday, October 11, 2007
By JD MALONE
The Express-Times
Express-Times Photo TIMOTHY WYNKOOP
The motorcycle of a Phillipsburg teenager is shown lodged under a train Wednesday night in Phillipsburg.
PHILLIPSBURG A town teenager riding a dirt bike was critically injured Wednesday evening when he was struck by a train under the South Main Street bridge.
John Gibbons, whose exact age is unknown, was listed in critical condition at St. Luke's Hospital late Wednesday night. The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, hit the blue-and-white motorcycle Gibbons was driving at 6:05 p.m., according to Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband.
Phillipsburg police said they were called at about 6:30 p.m. and found Gibbons lying beside the tracks, shirtless and with one of his white sneakers knocked off.
Kelly Snyder said Gibbons was with her and a group of friends Wednesday afternoon at the skate park in Delaware River Park riding dirt bikes, including the Yamaha TT-R 125 that Gibbons was on at the time of the wreck. Snyder said it was Gibbons' first time riding a dirt bike.
Sgt. Shawn Carmody said Gibbons and another boy broke off from the group and took turns riding trails near the tracks. Carmody said judging by the orientation of the bike, its rear wheel was pinned under the front of the train. He said police believe Gibbons was eastbound on the tracks -- the same direction the train was headed. Judging from the injuries, Carmody said he does not believe Gibbons was wearing a helmet.
Carmody said the train is loud but the racket of the motorcycle might have drowned out surrounding noise.
Matthew Famularo said he was walking along Main Street near the bridge, heard a screeching sound and then the train's whistle blow. Famularo said he got to the bridge, looked over the railing and saw a body sprawled on the gravel next to the stopped train.
"I saw the train person walk up the tracks to (Gibbons)," Famularo said, referring to the train's engineer.
Husband said the company would not release the engineer's identity. He said the area where the crash occurred is a "transitional area" meaning that the train picks up speed, accelerating from about 30 mph to 50 mph. No figure on how fast the train was going was available Wednesday night.
Bob Fulper said he followed police vehicles to the site, walked to the bridge, peered over the railing and caught site of Gibbons' prone body.
"His head was bleeding on the left side," Fulper said. "And it looked like bone was sticking out from his arm."
Police said the Warren County Prosecutor's Office was assisting with the investigation. Railroad officials were also reviewing the crash but refused to comment. At 8:40 p.m., after police freed the bike, the train, with more than two dozen loaded cars in tow, crept away. Husband said the train was bound for Secaucus, N.J.
Carmody said people ride dirt bikes along the tracks all the time. He said police chase people away but they can't keep everyone off.
Philip Consentino said he was out on the balcony of his second-floor unit in the John F. O'Donnell Apartments beside the tracks.
"I heard (the engineer) blow the whistle. Nobody can say he didn't blow the whistle," Consentino said. "I heard the train blow the whistle and I heard it dragging the bike."
Consentino agreed that many people ride bikes near the site of the wreck.
"I knew something was going to happen sooner or later," Consentino said.
Reporter JD Malone can be reached at 610-759-4599 or by e-mail at jdmalone@express-times.com.
PHILLIPSBURG A town teenager riding a dirt bike was critically injured Wednesday evening when he was struck by a train under the South Main Street bridge.
John Gibbons, whose exact age is unknown, was listed in critical condition at St. Luke's Hospital late Wednesday night. The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, hit the blue-and-white motorcycle Gibbons was driving at 6:05 p.m., according to Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband.
Phillipsburg police said they were called at about 6:30 p.m. and found Gibbons lying beside the tracks, shirtless and with one of his white sneakers knocked off.
Kelly Snyder said Gibbons was with her and a group of friends Wednesday afternoon at the skate park in Delaware River Park riding dirt bikes, including the Yamaha TT-R 125 that Gibbons was on at the time of the wreck. Snyder said it was Gibbons' first time riding a dirt bike.
Sgt. Shawn Carmody said Gibbons and another boy broke off from the group and took turns riding trails near the tracks. Carmody said judging by the orientation of the bike, its rear wheel was pinned under the front of the train. He said police believe Gibbons was eastbound on the tracks -- the same direction the train was headed. Judging from the injuries, Carmody said he does not believe Gibbons was wearing a helmet.
Carmody said the train is loud but the racket of the motorcycle might have drowned out surrounding noise.
Matthew Famularo said he was walking along Main Street near the bridge, heard a screeching sound and then the train's whistle blow. Famularo said he got to the bridge, looked over the railing and saw a body sprawled on the gravel next to the stopped train.
"I saw the train person walk up the tracks to (Gibbons)," Famularo said, referring to the train's engineer.
Husband said the company would not release the engineer's identity. He said the area where the crash occurred is a "transitional area" meaning that the train picks up speed, accelerating from about 30 mph to 50 mph. No figure on how fast the train was going was available Wednesday night.
Bob Fulper said he followed police vehicles to the site, walked to the bridge, peered over the railing and caught site of Gibbons' prone body.
"His head was bleeding on the left side," Fulper said. "And it looked like bone was sticking out from his arm."
Police said the Warren County Prosecutor's Office was assisting with the investigation. Railroad officials were also reviewing the crash but refused to comment. At 8:40 p.m., after police freed the bike, the train, with more than two dozen loaded cars in tow, crept away. Husband said the train was bound for Secaucus, N.J.
Carmody said people ride dirt bikes along the tracks all the time. He said police chase people away but they can't keep everyone off.
Philip Consentino said he was out on the balcony of his second-floor unit in the John F. O'Donnell Apartments beside the tracks.
"I heard (the engineer) blow the whistle. Nobody can say he didn't blow the whistle," Consentino said. "I heard the train blow the whistle and I heard it dragging the bike."
Consentino agreed that many people ride bikes near the site of the wreck.
"I knew something was going to happen sooner or later," Consentino said.
Reporter JD Malone can be reached at 610-759-4599 or by e-mail at jdmalone@express-times.com.