Metrolink Engineer Injured In Oxnard Crash Dies
OXNARD (CBSLA.com) — A Metrolink train engineer critically injured in last week's crash in Oxnard has died, according to officials.
Engineer Glen Steele died at Cedar Sinai Hospital, an Oxnard Police Department spokesperson said Tuesday. He was 62 years old.
Steele was among 28 people who were injured when the commuter train derailed around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday after it collided with a produce truck left on the tracks near 5th Street and Rice Avenue in Oxnard, according to police.
"We are deeply saddened by the news. And, we are concerned for those still recovering from this collision and their families," said Oxnard Police Cmdr. Marty Meyer in a statement.
The train was traveling at 64 mph when its crew saw the pickup about 1,100 feet in front of them and about 12 seconds before impact, according to federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board. One second later, the train's throttle was moved to idle.
The driver of the truck, 54-year-old Jose Alejandro Sanchez Ramirez of Yuma, Arizona, was arrested for a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident, according to Oxnard police.
Investigators later determined the train was traveling at 56 mph at the point of impact.
Steele's wife of 33 years, Karen, spoke told CBS2/KCAL9 Tuesday about her late husband, remembering him as a family man and a hard worker.
"He's a good dad. He was a real hard worker. Anytime they needed anyone extra he always worked for them," she said, adding that after six days in the hospital, despite suffering critical injuries, Steele's death came as a shock.
"Last night when we left... we didn't think this was going to happen," she said.
Steele was Metrolink's most senior engineer with 40 years of experience and was looking forward to his retirement, just two years out.
The collision is under investigation by law enforcement and other agencies.
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