The Online Newspaper of Lakewood High School

Lakewood Times

Lakewood Times

Lakewood Times

    Lakewood Pedestrian Hit by a Train

    Lakewood+Pedestrian+Hit+by+a+Train

    Late on the night of Sunday, October 14, twenty-nine year-old Gabriel Lopez was struck by a train. The eastbound train was traveling through Lakewood, which is where the accident occurred. According to the railroad crew, Lopez was seen laying on the tracks between the rails. As the train traveled towards him, Lopez did not move from the tracks, resulting in his death.

    Reports have revealed that Lopez was hit by the train around 2:30 in the morning. While the impact occurred around Cook Avenue, the body of the victim was found by police on the tracks by Cranford Avenue. Lakewood Police and Firefighters were on the scene, interviewing workers and hanging sheets on sections of the train.

    As a result of the accident, an estimated 15 railroad crossings were closed. The closed crossings were between Cook Avenue and Webb Road. Response teams worked tirelessly to investigate and clear the scene. Drivers were detoured along W. Clifton Boulevard, keeping them away from sight of the accident. The Lakewood Police had the train cleared and the roads re-opened at 7 a.m.

    After a night of investigation, authorities are still unsure of why Lopez was on the tracks that night. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office is in charge of investigating the circumstances of the victim’s death. So far, they have not released any information on the ruling of the cause or the manner of death. Police are still investigating the situation as well.

    As news of this tragic incident spread across the community, many people shared their reactions. Lakewood High School student, Sofi Dunay, shared her thoughts. “It’s such a tragic thing to hear about. It’s scary how close it was to where I live. I definitely won’t walk on the tracks in the future.”

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