Marine in Train Death Is Identified

A Marine killed in a train accident was identified by authorities Thursday as Sgt. Willis A. Towns, a platoon sergeant stationed at Camp Pendleton for the last two years.

Towns, 29, moved to Oceanside after being transferred to Camp Pendleton in February, 1993, said Sgt. William Crews, a spokesman for Camp Pendleton. He grew up in Huntsville, Ala., and entered the Marine Corps in 1985, Crews said. Towns is not married, according to Camp Pendleton officials.

Towns had been running along the railroad tracks near the San Clemente State Beach campground at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday when an Amtrak passenger train heading south struck him. The train engineer blew the whistle several times, and witnesses said they yelled for him to get out of the way, according to San Clemente State Park officials.

Towns was taken to Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The train fatality was the second one in a month in South County.

Esther Walocha, 70, of San Clemente was trying to cross the tracks near Palisades Drive in Capistrano Beach on Jan. 21 when she was struck and killed.