HOUSTON – Following a lawsuit filed by the parents of the 15-year-old Houston Independent School District student who was hit and killed by a train while walking to school, Union Pacific sent a statement out saying the student tried to outrun the train.
On Monday, Dec. 9, Milby High School student Sergio Rodriguez was hit and killed while attempting to cross in front of a moving train at 2000 Broadway St. near I-45.
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Sergio’s parents, Marco Antonio Ortuno and Cecilia Rodriguez, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Union Pacific Railroad and the train operator on Tuesday.
According to the lawsuit, the area where the incident occurred is a well-known pedestrian crossing frequently used by residents in the community, including students walking to nearby Milby High School.
Union Pacific responds
In a statement, Union Pacific stated the teen “made a tragic decision to try and outrun a moving train.”
During the initial investigation, Houston police said the train was traveling at a slow rate of speed and the guard rails were lowered when the accident happened. They also mentioned that Sergio crossed the tracks in an undesignated area, away from a monitored crossing where police are typically present before school hours.
Police did not confirm if the student tried to outrun the moving train.
According to HISD, witnesses reported that Sergio tripped on the track while trying to cross.
Read the full statement below:
“Union Pacific shares Houston’s grief following Monday’s heartbreaking event when a teenager made a tragic decision to try and outrun a moving train. We want to remind students and others to only cross train tracks at designated crossings and never ignore train horns or the lights and safety gates. Our hearts go out to the family, students and train crew who witnessed this terrible incident.”