Some of the victims of the 2008 Metrolink and freight train collision were scheduled to meet with executives from Veolia Transportation, the company liable for the deadly accident that left 25 people dead and over 100 injured, reports the HuffPo. "Rep. Elton Gallegly said Veolia executives requested the meeting so they can hear from those who were injured or lost loved ones when a Metrolink train collided head-on with a freight train." Veolia is the parent company of Connex Railroad, who were responsible for putting engineer Robert Sanchez on the job, who ran a red light while text messaging on his cellphone.
Victims of '08 Metrolink Crash Confront Train Co. Execs Today
Metrolink to Install Inward Facing Cameras to Watch Engineers
Text messaging appears to be one major caper in the Chatsworth Metrolink train crash last year, which left 25 dead and 135 injured. Investigators found that Metrolink Engineer Robert Sanchez sent a text message 22 seconds before his train slammed head-on into a freight train.
Investigating the Metrolink Crash: Was the Light Green?
LA Now is reporting that interviews with witnesses of last month's deadly Metrolink-Union Pacific train crash have shed light on findings in opposition of the National Transportation Safety Board--and the color of that light just happens to be green.
Metrolink Engineer Sent Txt Msg 22 Seconds Before Crash
National Transportation Safety Board investigators released information this afternoon regarding Metrolink Engineer Robert Sanchez' cell phone records. He sent 29 text messages while on duty the day of the crash with the last one sent at 4:22:01 p.m. The However, the NTSB says precise timing of cell phone activity and how it correlates with the crash is still under investigation. According to preliminary estimates, the crash occurred at 4:22:23 pm.
Video of the Day: Priest On Board Metrolink Train During Chatsworth Crash Speaks About Helping People, Giving Last Rites
Reverend Donald Ashman, who "leads a small congregation at the Anglican Church of Our Saviour on the Westside of Los Angeles, where he has been for a quarter of a century [and] teaches Latin and world history at Hoover High School in Glendale," was on board Metrolink Train 111 on Friday, September 12th at 4:23 p.m. when it crashed head-on into a Union Pacific Freight Train. Despite his own back injuries sustained in the crash, Ashman remained on scene to help people physically and spiritually. He told firefighters he was a priest, and offered prayers for the dead, including Robert Sanchez, the Metrolink engineer. The LA Times describes Ashman's encounter with Sanchez:
At one point, a firefighter asked him to come with him to pray for the engineer, whose body was still trapped in the wreckage. That blanket wasn't white. It was blood red. Ashman touched his arm, made the sign of the cross and said a quick prayer.The Reverend says of Sanchez: "Whatever he did or intended to do, that's irrelevant [...] Everybody is treated the same in God's eyes."
Confirmed: Metrolink Engineer was Txt Msging Before Crash
After the National Transportation Safety Board heard that teenagers were claiming Metrolink Engineer Robert Sanchez was texting with them moments before the crash, they subpoenaed his cell phone records but were wary saying a similar claim in a Boston crash was made and ended up being false. But these claims were true the NTSB announced on Wednesday night.
Train Engineer Apparently Sent Txt Msg Before Crash
At 4:22 p.m., one minute before the crash, the Metrolink train engineer sent a text to a teenage friend, a fellow rail enthusiast, about where the train would meet another passenger train, according to CBS2 News. While the engineer who died in the collision has not been identified by officials, the teens said he is Robert Sanchez and despite Metrolink's claims that he was at fault, his friends said "he would 'never' have been reckless or unprofessional or run a red light." Earlier today Metrolink said the engineer was at fault but gave no basis for their conclusion. Two videos have been posted on YouTube in honor of Sanchez.

