Suicide Leads To Major Delays On Metra UP-NW Line
UPDATED 04/26/11 9:02 p.m.
DES PLAINES, Ill. (CBS) -- A Metra train struck and killed a person in Des Plaines Tuesday morning, leading to projected delays estimated at an hour or more.
Richard Snedden, 64, of the 7300 block of Lake St. in Morton Grove, was struck by a train at 690 Parsons Ave. in Des Plaines and was dead on the scene, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
Around 8:25 a.m. Tuesday, while in Des Plaines, passengers on the Metra Union Pacific/Northwest Line train No. 632 were told by Metra personnel that a person had "chosen to end their life" by stepping in front of the train.
At 8:36 a.m., a rider notified CBS 2 that someone had "just jumped in front of our NW Pacific train."
That train, which originated in McHenry at 7:39 a.m., does not stop at the Des Plaines station, Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said. He was unable to confirm the reported fatality, and the Cook County Medical Examiner's office had not been notified of a fatality as of about 9:30 a.m.
The train, scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 8:52 a.m., was stopped in Des Plaines near River Road. By about 10 a.m. it was moving again, according to Metra. The train was running 100 minutes behind schedule.
Metra UP/Northwest trains No. 611, scheduled to arrive Crystal Lake at 10:25 a.m., No. 638, scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 10:23 a.m., and No. 636, scheduled to arrive Chicago at 9:23 a.m., were also delayed.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
