Area man crawls under train, is killed

A 54-year-old Ganado man was killed Tuesday by an eastbound BNSF train as he attempted to cross the tracks at Third Street in Gallup, N.M. The victim's name will be released pending notification of familiy. (Photo by Craig Robinson/Independent)

Joe Kolb
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A lime green baseball cap with Mataya's printed on the front in pink letters laid on the rail of the Third Street railroad crossing amidst the grisly remains of a man who attempted to crawl beneath a train and was dragged to his death Tuesday.

Lt. Ricky White, spokesman for the Gallup Police department, said a 54 year-old Native American male, who had a hometown of Ganado, Ariz., attempted to crawl beneath an eastbound Burlington Northern-Santa Fe train at the Third Street railroad crossing at 4:52 p.m. when he was struck by the train.

"He was killed instantly," then dragged and dismembered for nearly 100 yards, White said. White sheets covered the remains of the man between the Third and Second street railroad crossings adjacent to U.S. 66.

The man's name has not been released pending family notification. White said the victim had relatives in Gallup.

When he arrived on scene, Patrolman Chavo Chiscilly said he had railroad officials stop traffic while detectives and Medical Investigator Richard Malone, investigated the scene and recovered the victim's body. Rail service resumed at 6:21 p.m. when officials secured the scene.

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