Train Kills 3 Teen Girls Crossing Florida Bridge - AOL News

"MELBOURNE, Fla. (Feb. 21) - Three teenage girls crossing a bridge in central Florida were killed by a freight train as they desperately tried to get out of its way, and their helpless friend on the other side could only watch, police said Sunday.

The girls and the fourth teenager, a boy, were hanging out in Melbourne's downtown area -- known for its shops and nightclubs -- when they decided to cross the trestle around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Lt. Curtis Barger said.

"The male made it across the tracks, turned around, heard the train, saw it and yelled for them to run," Barger said. "He then told them to jump."

The girls did not have enough time.

"They were unable to get out of the way and they were struck by the train," Lt. Marc Claycomb told Florida Daily.

Barger said all the teens were from the area, but their identities have not been released. That likely won't happen until Monday, after officials can compare dental records, according to police. Barger said the teens' parents dropped them off at a Melbourne mall and the kids took a bus downtown, where they were "just goofing off."

John Vallee, 54, lives near the trestle that runs at least 20 feet above Crane Creek and was watching TV when he heard a loud screech. He told the Florida Today newspaper he went outside and first thought he saw a blanket tangled under a rail car. Then he realized it was a person.

"It's going to be hard for me to get to sleep," Vallee told Florida Today. "I can't get it out of my mind."

Authorities in Melbourne, a city of about 77,000 nearly 50 miles southeast of Orlando, are investigating.

"It's basically a homicide investigation times three. It involves the Florida East Coast Railway police, it involves us, the fire department and basically try to piece together what happened here," Claycomb told Orlando's WFTV-TV.

On Sunday morning, there was little evidence of the tragedy. A concrete post says, "Private property, no trespassing." Another sign has fallen onto the ground and was covered in gravel, and a third was twisted and difficult to see. The track is owned by the Florida East Coast Railway, which operates about 350 miles of track along the state's east coast. Railway officials did not immediately return calls for comment.

The rail bridge is just wide enough for the train to pass over, but next to it is another trestle with an old, rusted track that apparently is not in use. There isn't anything dividing the two, and it was unclear why the teens didn't jump onto it.

"It's very tragic," Valle said. "Especially because it's young folks who haven't had a chance to experience life, it's exceptionally touching.""

 

Are you f-ing kidding me with the title.

 

Thread title win  

 

Wow with the thread title man

 

That thread title is offensive, demeaning and disgusting. i like it.

the fact that they mentioned dental records paints a horrifying image in my head.

 

the Fark headline made reference to Stand By me..

 

Wow at the title dude. 

I read about this earlier, it's horrible! How these kids think this is a good idea is beyond me.

 

unfortunate story, funny thread title.

 

Darwin wins again.

Unfortunate that 3 potential hotties were snuffed out, but they were fucking idiots. Stay off the train tracks kids.

 

I'd like some 'before and after' photos. Stuff of that nature arouses me.

...

I'll get my coat.

 

Hey, great! Blatant, unwarranted misogyny. Funny stuff!

 

How the fuck do you not hear a train coming in time to get out of it's way? Did they basically cross directly in front of the damn thing?...

 

I've seen the aftermath of someone being hit by a train (a suicide at my local station, which I pass through on the way to work). Trust me, it's something that's going to stay with me for a very long time.

Seems like they were walking along the bridge carrying the railway line when they saw the train, and didn't get to the other side in time.

 

Damn, sorry to hear about this.

But seriously though, they shouldn't have been anywhere near those tracks in the first place. And like Vector Sigma, just how could they have not heard the train coming?

 

There's a whole lot of fucking disrespect in this thread. Thanks for keeping my faith in humanity at a low.

 

No prob!  

 

This kind of reminds me of that one scene from "Stand By Me"

 

Terrible to hear. Living next to train tracks I've seen many an animal killed by a train. It definitely isn't a pretty site.

 

I don't know what to facepalm at: the title of the thread or the fail of getting out of a train's way.

 

You've got two hands, don't you?

I've never found the whole "kitchen" joke that funny, but its usage here is asinine.