Train death ruled a suicide

Debby Schamber
The Orange Leader

May 14, 2009 10:29 pm

— The autopsy report for David Jack, 44, who was killed in February by a passing train in West Orange, has been returned by the Jefferson County Morgue.
According to the report, Jack received multiple skull fractures, a crushed chest and an amputation of his left arm after being hit by the train.
The report indicates at the time of his death he had cocaine in his blood and a crack pipe was found in his right front pocket. However, Dr. Tommy Brown, forensic pathologist, wrote the “manner of death: suicide, train pedestrian.”
Witnesses at the scene reported they saw the man walking along the tracks near the intersection of South and Dayton Streets. A witness who had stopped at the railroad crossing in their vehicle reported they saw Jack suddenly step in front of the passing train as the horn blared.
The Union Pacific train engineer is believed to have not seen Jack on the tracks until it was too late to stop.
The train was finally able to come to a stop about a quarter of a mile past the intersection.
None of the people inside the train at the time of the incident were reported to have any injuries.

Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2603 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.