2005 Glendale train crash - The man whose attempt resulted in three fatal train collisions
The aftermath of the three trains collision
If you’re interested in reading about another vehicle mass casualty incident, check out my other post Here
In the early morning of January 26th 2005, Juan Manuel Álvarez had parked his jeep onto the train tracks in an industrial area in Glendale, California with the intention of ending his life after he had slashed his wrists and stabbed himself multiple times in the chests. However, Álvarez ended up changing his mind last minute and attempted to dislodge his jeep, but the vehicle had gotten stuck and he fled as the first train (metrolink #100) was approaching southbound.
A visual diagram of the domino collisions
At the time, there was another train (metrolink #901) carrying 20-30 people approaching northbound and a freight train (a train that carries supplies, not passengers) was also parked at the scene.
At 6:03am PST, #100, carrying 200-250 people, hit the parked jeep pushing it forward until the jeep struck a train switch that raised #100 causing it to lift and derail. The carts of #100 folded and spilled onto the other tracks hitting the freight train and #901. To add to the utter chaos, diesel fuel from one of the carts was spilled and caused a fire.
The dispatched rescue teams
A total of 11 people were killed and 117 were injured. On scene, 300 firefighters and other rescue personnel were dispatched in order to locate survivors who were stuck beneath the rubble.
Álvarez, a father of two children, was a meth addict who was prone to delusions, and had attempted before. The wife of Álvarez had filed a restraining order against him earlier on grounds that he had become erratic and threatening to her and their children.
The police believed Álvarez had intended to cause the crash, because he was observing as the crash took place before fleeing the scene and later being found at a friends house. He was charged with eleven counts of murder with special circumstances, with additional charges of murder with intent.
Prosecutors wanted the death penalty for Álvarez because of a state law where train wrecking resulting in a persons death is a capital offence. During the trial, his defence argued he had no intention to cause the trash and he was acquitted of the train wrecking charge.
Álvarez was found guilty of 11 counts of murder with special circumstances on June 26 and one count of arson. On august 20th of the same year, Álvarez was sentenced to eleven consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
One of the injured passengers writing his last words with blood from his injuries for his family , thinking he would pass away. He survived
Disclaimer: this is an informative post, this does not condone or glorify the actions of the guilty individual
