Contact: Nathan Lederman 508-584-8120
ABINGTON – A man was killed yesterday after being struck by a commuter rail train in the town of Abington, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
At approximately 8 p.m. yesterday, the Transit Police Department received an emergency dispatch from a commuter rail train advising of a pedestrian strike at the Birch Street railroad crossing east of the intersection of North Avenue and Railroad Street in Abington. The unknown male victim, later identified as 56-year-old Scott Sherman, was pronounced deceased by a first responder with the Abington Fire Department.
An investigation commenced including members of the Abington Police Department, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Police, Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the Plymouth County Detective Unit, and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section.
Preliminarily, investigators found no mechanical faults were noted on the train by MBTA operators, and the train was travelling below the 70-mph speed limit at the time of the incident. Video surveillance from the railroad crossing showed crossing lights had been activated and the arms blocking the intersection were lowered during the crash.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner accepted jurisdiction of this case, which remains under investigation.