Man hit by train, is severely injured

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — An unidentified man was clipped by an oncoming train traveling west along a stretch of railroad tracks located east of the Second Street Crossing this morning.

The man had no identification on him and was unable to speak with authorities at the hospital because of the severity of his injuries.

Capt. John Allen, a spokesman for the Gallup Police Department, said the man was standing on the tracks, waving his arms at the train at the time of the impact. The train’s conductor initiated the train’s brakes and horn, but was unable to stop in time.

Allen said the man was “clipped” by the train as it passed at a high rate of speed at about 1:30 a.m.

“He was able to partially get out of the way,” Allen said.

When officers arrived at the scene, the man shouted obscenities at them and spoke nothing of the collision.

The severely injured man was taken to Gallup Indian Medical Center and was later flown to an Albuquerque hospital because of the critical nature of his injuries.

Allen said he had no information about the man’s condition and did not say if alcohol was involved.