Trucker in Metrolink crash ran for his life after stranding truck on tracks, lawyer says
OXNARD, Calif. (KABC) -- National Transportation Safety Board investigators are revealing more about Tuesday's Metrolink train crash in Oxnard. This as a lawyer for the driver who abandoned his pickup truck on the tracks speaks out.
The repair work is done but the investigation is far from over. NTSB says it's unclear if the pickup truck hit by the Metrolink train was stuck on the tracks at the point of impact.
About 2,100 crossing accidents occur each year, but Tuesday's derailment drew NTSB attention because the truck was found having driven down the tracks. Investigators are expected to remain on scene for five to seven days.
"Our objective is to collect perishable evidence," said Robert Sumwalt with the National Transportation Safety Board. "We are not here to speculate. We never speculate at the NTSB. We're not here on scene to determine the cause of the accident. We're not here on scene to analyze. I know everybody wants to know what happened, and we will determine that, but our goal here is to collect that information that will go away with the passage of time."
As part of the investigation, NTSB plans to do a sight distance test, which means they will set up a mock situation to see how far down the track each person could actually see from both the train and pickup truck.
The NTSB is also looking at video and data equipment on the train that captured the fiery crash and should give investigators a big boost to the search for a cause. The video is now being examined at the agency's Washington home. Their investigation will likely take months to complete.
PHOTOS: Metrolink commuter train derails in Oxnard
Jose Alejandro Sanchez Ramirez, 55, of Yuma, Arizona, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of felony hit-and-run after a Metrolink train headed toward Los Angeles struck his large pickup truck, which was hauling a trailer, on the tracks in Oxnard. He remains in custody in lieu of $150,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.
Information from the control cab showed the train engineer managed to hit the brakes early, but could not avoid the crash. Sumwalt said the train was traveling under the speed limit of 79 mph.
Ramirez's lawyer Ron Bamieh called the collision an "accident." At the time, Ramirez was driving his company's truck and trailer. He has been employed by the same produce trucking company, The Grower's Company, Inc., for 12 years.
"The arrest of Mr. Ramirez is the unfortunate result of law enforcement attempting to cast blame on a man who was caught in a tragic situation with no way to stop the oncoming tragedy. He does not know how or why the truck he was driving stopped on the tracks, and wishes there was something he could have done to prevent this accident," Bamieh said.
Bamieh added that his office's investigation showed that Ramirez's truck did become "entangled and unable to move off the railroad tracks. The truck and the trailer were somehow stuck."
Ramirez accidentally drove onto the tracks and made the situation worse by continuing forward in an attempt to get enough speed to get his wide pickup over the rails, Bamieh said. When that effort failed, he tried to push the truck and then fled before impact.
"He hits his high beams trying to do something. He's screaming. He realizes, 'I can't do anything,' and then he tries to run so he doesn't get killed," Bamieh said. "He saw the impact, yes, it was a huge explosion."
Oxnard police say they found Ramirez 1.62 miles south of the crash site and that Ramirez did not call 911 or make an immediate effort to call for help. But Bamieh said Ramirez, who doesn't speak English well, tried to get help from a passerby, tried calling his employer and eventually reached his son to help him speak with police.
"I think his first reaction was to try to find help on foot," Bamieh said. "He's not familiar with the area. When he found out there was nobody around or there was nobody who could help, that's when he called his son to ask to help. He was very nervous. He was very upset. He was in shock and he was trying to find the best way to help people."
Ramirez has been married for 30 years and has two children, his lawyer said. In 1998, he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.
About 50 people were on board. Twenty-eight people were taken to five nearby area hospitals, including four in critical condition. No fatalities were reported.
Six patients remain hospitalized at Ventura County Medical Center Wednesday, including three patients listed in critical condition.
The Metrolink train engineer suffered severe injuries to his chest and heart, said Dr. Bryan Wong, chief medical officer at Ventura County Medical Center.
"Around 10 a.m., he had a turn for the worse. His heart actually stopped. He had a cardiac arrest," Wong said. "Thankfully, he was already within the ICU and he was immediately responded to. Resuscitation efforts were undertaken. His heart came back and yet again stopped once again within minutes of the first arrest. Continued efforts were made and actually they were able to bring back his heart."
A 44-year-old female remains hospitalized at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks.
On Wednesday, clean-up efforts continued. All derailed cars had been removed from scene. Track repairs were complete by late-Wednesday morning.
Several Metrolink commuters on Wednesday traveled regularly on the same line of the train that had crashed the day prior.
"First, was shocked and actually also blessed that I wasn't on the train, but more shocked to the people on the train. I feel bad for the people who were injured," Camarillo resident Gavin Gobuyan said.
"Right now, I'm getting kind of nervous, but it's in God's hands. You just ride and try to deal with it and hopefully get to your destination," Camarillo resident Ken Villa said.
Commuting around the area
Metrolink service on the Ventura County Line resumed regular service a day after a train collided with a pickup truck on the tracks in Oxnard.
Metrolink riders for Ventura County Line Trains 102, 104 and 106 were initially bused around the crash site between the Camarillo, Oxnard or Ventura-East stations and the Moorpark station. The track was restored Wednesday morning and the first passenger train to pass through the crash site arrived at about 5:40 p.m.
VIDEO: Metrolink trains to resume regular service after Oxnard crash
Amtrak trains, which were suspended in the area on Tuesday, also resumed regular service in the area. The changes impacted Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight trains 11 and 14.
Drivers passing through the area may face some delays. Fifth Street between Rice Avenue and Del Norte Boulevard was closed for clean-up crews. One northbound lane on Rice Avenue was shut down near Fifth Street.
For real-time Metrolink service updates, call (800) 371-5465.
