Cops: Mini Train Driver in Fatal Crash Admits to Going Too Fast:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/22/cops-mini-train-driver-fatal-crash-admits-going-fast/

This link provides the inspection and incident reports:


http://www.foxcarolina.com/news/27277335/detail.html

A more complete update.

http://journalstar.com/news/national/ar ... 2d0c4.html

This doesn't mean Matt was speeding by choice, there is a chance that something failed on the ride and caused it to accelerate uncontrollably. The media is known too well for misinterpreting evidence.

All parties involved are in my prayers. With many near misses myself on much larger equipment, I know the feeling to well.

[quote="Jay611"]This doesn't mean Matt was speeding by choice, there is a chance that something failed on the ride and caused it to accelerate uncontrollably. The media is known too well for misinterpreting evidence.[/quote]

This wasn't a media interpretation, it was a law enforcement report that quoted the engineer.

I have nothing but sympathy for all involved, but from what is known now, this accident was preventable.

Again, it says "I knew I was going too fast" but it doesn't state why. As i listed above, mechanical failure is still a probable cause.

I would not be willing to believe a raw police report on it's face. Just remember what happened to the unfortunate security guard at Olympic Park in Atlanta when it was bombed during the '96 Olympics. He spent a year being blamed for it and had his life ruined - and probably cut short - by the authorities, politicians and the media rushing to judgement. There is a reason we have a process of inquiry, so hopefully all of the facts come out. Matt is entitled to the benefit of every doubt here.

There is currently an Associated Press story being circulated through the news feeds citing Virginia Conrad, Matt's mother, as well as a police officer who rode with Matt Conrad to the hospital. In it, Matt Conrad is described as being still "distraught" and "in shock" over the incident.

There also WAS, on YouTube, at least one video of a ride on the train in question, which will no doubt add fuel to the controversy for at least two reasons, if they're not taken down rather quickly. They show nothing incriminating in and of themselves, but.......

I'm not posting links to these items. Neither really does anyone any good here, and I've yet to find an unedited version of the AP feed that I can link to legally.

I don't know if it is proper or not to actually link the incident report here. But the language of the report says that "Mr. Conrad stated that he knew better than to drive the train that fast."

He went on to describe how he would go slow on the first lap, faster on the second lap, and still faster on the third lap. The use of the word "would" makes it sound like this was a procedure that was done more than just the one time when the derailment occurred.

This language seems to rule out a mechancial failure causing the train to go too fast. It suggests that the high speed was an experiment to see if it could be done successfully without causing a problem. It sounds as though the decsion to go that fast was at least somewhat against the engineer's better judgement, and that he was uncertain of the outcome.

The incident report is included as an attachment in one of the replies posted by another member.

There is also the natural reaction to blame one's self when something terrible happens- whether or not the individual is really to blame. When written down out of context, it can be blown all out of proportion.

Let's wait until the investigation is done, and hope for the best for Matt, the injured passengers, and the families and friends affected by this sad derailment.

And, in the meantime, let's all focus even more on our own safety practices.

Steve Hunter

This is absolutely, unfortunately true. Moreover, law officers will sometimes try to "lead" people into making this kind of statement. Bottom line? do not ever under any circumstances admit fault to a law enforcement officer. The policeman is not your friend, at least in this case.

This was brought home, in a most unpleasant way, to my late father-in-law a few years ago. He was involved in a traffic accident wherin a motorcyclist died. My FIL was in no way negligent, he pulled out of a blind intersection, the rider broadsided him. The motorcyclist was speeding, and was not wearing a helmet as the law required. Nevertheless, my FIL, distraught, said something to the cop at the scene that was construed as admission of fault. The cyclist's family sued for an amount far exceeding the liability insurance, my FIL lost his life savings, his retirement and his house. He died not long afterward, and I am convinced the stress of the suit and loss of his estate was a contributing factor in his death.

Never admit fault, even if it was your fault. Let the courts and the lawyers work it out.
J

Here is the link to an article that provides an important update on the accident investigation:

WYFF4.com Article: Police: Media Jumped To Premature Conclusions


The full article included a quote of a release from the Spartanburg [South Carolina] Public Safety department:

Who has the responsibility of maintaining the track of this railroad?

Here is a press conference with Matt Conrad:

http://www2.wspa.com/news/2011/mar/22/1 ... r-1601189/

He's a good guy. Keep him and the families in your thoughts and prayers.

Matt Bumgarner
Alexander Chapter-NRHS