Western Railroad Discussion > Man Hit By Train in Gilbert, AZ

I usually avoid posting incidents like this lately, but something about this tragic story I thought should be shared. -Matt



http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/118113

A 31-year-old Mesa man was struck and killed by a train early Sunday in Gilbert, police said.

Mesa resident Jibaribed Dezmathix, 31, was killed by a Union Pacific train on tracks near Recker and Old Rittenhouse roads.

Gilbert police say Dezmathix was previously known as Jared Bear. Investigators say Dezmathix attended a party Saturday night in a neighborhood south of the railroad tracks.

He reportedly said during the party that he liked and wanted to go see trains, knowing railroad tracks were near the house. Police say based on witnesses before the incident and evidence at the scene, it is believed Dezmathix was intoxicated at the time.

Police say there’s no indication that Dezmathix’s death was the result of foul play or suicide.

An emergency call was placed by a Union Pacific employee at 5 a.m. to report the collision, said police spokesman detective Joe Gilligan. The train was traveling westbound when the incident occurred.

The man's birth name was Jared Michael Baird, but police said he changed his name to Jibaribed Dezmathix several years ago. Police notified Dezmathix's brother, also of Mesa, who contacted the victim's parents. The victim's mother lives in California and his father lives in Colorado.

Police say there’s no indication that the Dezmathix’s death was the result of foul play or suicide.

The last reported train accident in the Valley was in Tempe on April 18, when 23-year-old Kerry Garcon was killed after he was struck. In September 2007, a man committed suicide on the tracks near Tempe St. Luke's Hospital, and in February 2007, a drunken man passed out on the train tracks and lost his legs.

Misfit138 Wrote:
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> The last reported train accident in the Valley was
> in Tempe on April 18, when 23-year-old Kerry
> Garcon was killed after he was struck. In
> September 2007, a man committed suicide on the
> tracks near Tempe St. Luke's Hospital, and in
> February 2007, a drunken man passed out on the
> train tracks and lost his legs.


I remember the one in early April....Easter morning at sunrise to be exact. I was driving home after getting off work (BNSF Engineer) and normally cross over the UP tracks at Dobson Road in Mesa on my way home. That morning I happened to see a train stopped and blocking the crossing with Police turning around traffic (not really any traffic at sunrise on Sundays). I knew the train had to have either gone in the ditch, major mechanical problems (drawbar...etc...), or somebody got clobbered. I made my way towards the head end of the train by taking some side streets and saw yellow tape about 30 cars back from the head end and after being almost jumped by the police officers ("What are you doing here") asked if a pedestrian was struck or something. I've hit numerous vehicles in my short railroad career but have never hit a pedestrian...knock on wood....and I hope I never do.

Unfortunately Gilbert has a high incidence of incidents, and has been the frequent target of Operation Lifesaver enforcement specials.

Arizona has seen a increase of over 200% in trespassing incidents since the start of the year, especially in the lower half of the state.
UP has run a number of both C A R E and trespassing events along the R O W with some assistance from OLI.