;\1etropolitan St.1te College of Denver student newspaper serving the Auraria Campus since 1979
Train hits car or1 campus Metro student and child unhurt; inorhing traffic disrupted Trisha McCarty The METROPOLITAN
•
jit
A light-rail train and a car carrying a child collided at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and 9th Street Park at the Auraria Campus. Although no one was injured, a Denver police officer said the car was "pretty far gone." "She came around the comer, and all I could do was pull back the brake," said Light Rail Operator Rex Wickenhauser, whose train was carrying 50 to 60 passengers. Despite efforts to stop, the 88,000pound eastbound train crushed the driver's side of the red Honda Prelude driven by Metro student Pamela Duncan, 27. "We're lucky we didn't-get pushed into that," said Duncan to Wickenhauser, pointing to a pole two feet away from the car. In the back seat of Duncan's car sat her 3-year-old daughter, Sadie, unharmed. She was on her way to the Auraria Child Care Center. "I was in the middle of the road and the lights were not flashing," Duncan said. "Then, I started to turn. I was so far in the intersection, I didn't even see hi m. " "We just do our best to stop," said Wickenhauser, who has been operating light-rail trains for three years. Witnesses said the sound of the light-rail horn blew frantically before impact, then there was a moment of silence before the doors opened and the passengers hurried off. 'The whole thing just shook," said passenger Eugene Mason. "He must have froze or something, because the doors wouldn't open. It was a good two minutes before he opened the doors to let us out." "I just saw her turning and she
Eric Drummond/The METRorourAN
TRAIN WRECK: RTD Superviser Mike Thomas coordinates efforts to clean up the accident that occurred at 9th Street Park and Colfax Avenue Wednesday. A car carrying a woman and her
child was hit when she tried to tum onto 9th Street Park. couldn't go back because of the car much greater if the operator had not used behind her. So, when the doors opened, l ¡ emergency braking procedures, accordjust ran over to see if the baby was all ing to Scott Reed, RTD ~pokesman. right that I saw in the back seat," Mason Reed said the prbcedure entails said. releasing a special type sand from the Auraria Campus Police rerouted front of the train, which improves the traffic waiting to cross Colfax Avenue traction between the wheels and the rail, back through the old Champa Street ser- much like sanding a street. vice road. This is the third accident this year Another witness, Metro student involving a light-rail train and an autoKeith Peterson, said, "It was a slow, gen- mobile, and there were 23 accidents last tle hit." year, Reed said. A light-rail train generalBut the impact would have been ly holds 125 people at full capacity, he
be
said, and this one was half-full. Reed said Denver police officer Al Koger reported that Duncan was cited for illegally taking a right tum during a flashing red 'no right tum' light. Koger could not be reached for comment. "If you obey the traffic signal, you will not be hit," Reed said. "Pay attention. We've got lights and signs for pedestrian and drivers," said RTD Safety Officer Richard Lobato.
NEWS
FEATURES
Ex-professor wins $300,000 settlement, Metro appeals Page 3
Gay support groups on campus
Spring sports special
Page 11
Page 17