LOCAL : Buena Park Man Killed by Train
A Buena Park man who was sitting on railroad tracks with a friend was killed after he refused to heed a train’s warning to clear the tracks, Fullerton police said today.
Larry Charles Peterson, 43, died around 11 p.m. Thursday when a Santa Fe Railroad freight train knocked him off the tracks in the 1800 block of West Commonwealth Avenue, Fullerton Sgt. Joe Klein said.
Peterson’s companion, 32-year-old Wesley Park of Long Beach, escaped injuries when he scampered away, Klein said.
Klein said the conductor reported seeing two men sitting on the tracks as the train traveled between a small commercial complex at a speed of 45 m.p.h..
Park scampered off the tracks after the train’s horn was sounded. The engineer told investigators that he braked but could not avoid slamming into Peterson, Klein said .
The Buena Park man was struck in his face and was later pronounced dead from massive head injuries.
Klein said investigators do not suspect foul play in the incident.
Park, who was arrested on the scene for public drunkenness, was released on his own recognizance this morning.
Klein said an autopsy would seek to determine whether Peterson also was intoxicated.
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