Somerville Man Killed by Raritan Valley Line Train
Incident happened near the Somerset Street crossing, spokesman for NJ Transit says.
A Somerville man has been identified as the victim killed by a train just west of the Somerville train station Thursday morning, according to NJ Transit spokesman John Durso, Jr.
Aly Abbas, 35, was struck and killed by a Newark-bound train.
"It was a Newark-bound Raritan Valley train," Durso said. "It struck and fatally injured a male trespasser within the vicinity of the Somerset Street crossing."
Durso said there has been no official cause of death released, but the Medical Examiner’s Office is continuing to investigate.
“The investigation is continuing at this time,” he said.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 a.m., Durso said.
Durso said about 150 people were on the train at the time of the incident, but no injuries were reported among the passengers.
"The customers were transferred onto another Newark-bound train without incident," he said
Although trains running on the Raritan Valley line were subject to 20-minute delays at the time of the incident, everything was back on or close to schedule as of around 2 p.m. Thursday.
NJ Transit Police are continuing the investigation into the incident, along with the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office and the Medical Examiner's Office, which are also on the scene in Somerville.
Durso said the Somerville station is open as the investigation continues.
Dee Rich
9:34 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Last week the 6:22 hit a deer ... this week a 'trespasser' ... time to start driving to work
Pete
9:53 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Good idea. The roads aren't full of deer, jay walkers and idiots drinking coffee and texting while they drive.
jasco
10:40 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
first rate comments here.
Eric
9:47 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Lets get it right and stop calling these human victims 'trespassers". It was a SUICIDE. NJ transit doesnt want to deal with negative publicity so they water it down to a "trespasser" description. Nobody voluntarily trespasses on train tracks anymore like the movie "Stand By Me". They have intent to kill themselves and NJ Transit needs to wake up and take action to prevent these. Currently they have a Suicide hotline sign posted at each station. They need to do more.
Pete
9:54 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
It's NJT's fault that people are too lazy to find a bridge to jump off? srsly?
A Mom
10:42 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Eric - My son was a very happy person with a lot to look forward to and we did talk a lot about a lot of things, so please be careful of what you say about some you did not know.
Rob
10:55 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Won't know until all the details are released. Most "trespassers" are indeed sucicidal, but I seem to recall some in the past few years who were using the tracks as a shortcut for walking somewhere & were blasting music so loud through their iPod earbuds that they never heard the train horn as the train sped toward them from behind. Just a thought.
Carl Schulz IV
10:21 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
"Trespassing" on train tracks is actually fairly common. I use to work in a municipal court and people who use train tracks as shortcuts were not unusual offenders. And if you'd prefer non-anecdotal evidence, according to http://www.state.nj.us, of the 33 train incidents (23 fatal) in 2011, only 8 were confirmed suicides, well less than half. Even if you limit it to non-crossing areas, 10 incidents were ruled accidental (all 8 suicides took place at those areas, + 6 undetermined). So only 8/24 incidents were definitively ruled suicides. And those statistics only take into account the people actually struck by trains, it doesn't count anyone who made it across the tracks just fine.
Marko Oh Sherman
12:05 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
He did make comments on Facebook about him rather being dead than having the presidential choices we are given.
tr
4:01 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Time to re-install updated versions of the old "cowcatcher", then they will only be maimed rather than killed. The bridges will look better to potential suicides!!!
Stephen Mitchell
7:00 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Eric,
I hope your child takes their life one day, and your forced to re-read your thoughtless and immature posts here. I know this man, and his family. You make me sick. You are an an awful and insensitive person.
Edwina N. Zelus
8:47 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
@ Stephen Mitchell - To hope that someone's child takes their life one day is as thoughtless and immature as the comment you are opposed too. Whether intentional or accidental there was a loss of life and all life is precious. My condolences to Aly's family.
Stephen Mitchell
9:00 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
Edwina,
Of course I don't hope anyone takes their own life. I was just trying to squeeze a drop of empathy out of a douchebag.
A Mom
10:43 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thank you Steve - always knew you were a true friend
Stephen Mitchell
7:07 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
My deepest condolences to his father and mother. Aly, your dad always told me I reminded him of you. I can't imagine the devastation they are going through right now. I'm here for you A&F, and I will be in touch soon.
Vaishali Singhal
10:09 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Stephen, we were friends with the family and then lost touch as we had moved. They are wonderful people and this is a tragedy. Would you be able to give me an updated phone number. I have one but it is disconnected. I have tried desperately to get in touch with them. My email is visinghal@hotmail.com. I would rather not put personal information about them here. Thanks
Vaishali Singhal
9:44 pm on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Stephen, please contact me at the email address below. I have desperately searched for numbers etc but found none. We lost touch with them a few years ago and I know how devastating this is for them. I am planning to go on Sunday AM to see them. You can email me your phone number and I will be happy to call you; I am sure you would not want to give any personal info without talking first. Thank you.
Khan A
12:54 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Can i get the contact number of the parents @ k_aayeshaa@hotmail.com.
Brandon Knox
6:41 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
The way some of you can make jokes about a man's death, whether accidental or intentional due to suicide, is sickening. It's a tragedy either way.
John
7:32 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
My deepest condolences. Very sad news indeed.
Stephen Mitchell
8:52 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
Moderator,
Thanks for removing the tactless comments.
Eric
8:40 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
He didn't remove them. I did and am appalled that you could wish anyone to take their life as you did of my child. My original comment was for Nj Transit to step up and prevent suicide. The other comments had to do with what already took place. Obviously this unfortunate man needed help and someone to listen and be there for him. It's unfortunate people didn't or didn't do enough. For the record, i am proud to say that i took action on someone i work with when i saw a lot of signs that looked like potential suicide not long after his mother passed. Co workers didn't believe me, but i persisted and prevented the unthinkable. And for you to wish someone dead that's still living is just sad and disgusting.
I sure wish this poor fellow had one person that could have stepped in and prevented his suicide. If you had a touch of class, you would remove your post wishing harm on my child.
d
9:46 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
Just wondering what steps NJT has to take to prevent suicide? Was this person a NJT employee? Are workers to be posted on every track? What is it that you are hoping they do? Your words were incensitive - period! Next time you post - say what you mean.
Eric
7:55 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
Very very sad. My heart goes out to his family and fiancee
Danish
1:37 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012
Any updates on this? Obviously a tragedy whether he took his own life or whether it was an accident, but it'd be interesting to know what exactly transpired here. Information is important. So other people can be more careful and so awareness is raised for people who may know someone exhibiting signs of suicide, etc. Thanks and God bless.
saadeh82
10:17 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012
Stephen Mitchell You're the real douchebag here. What Eric said wasn't even that bad saying that nj transit needs to do more to prevent suicides on their tracks, yea what a horrible idea. His kids should def kill themselves for him suggesting it. And he is the asshole. I'm sorry your friend killed themselves but you are a dick for suggesting his child killed themselves for commenting New Jersey Transit needs to do more to prevent suicide
Stephen Mitchell
8:59 am on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
You should have read the comments that were pulled down. As a matter of fact, click on his name to go to his page, then click on Coments, and then enjoy the read. I'll wait for your apology.
saadeh82
4:20 pm on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
well Steven I'm sorry to say you'll be waiting a very long time for my apology first off his main point was that New Jersey Transit needs to do more to prevent suicides on their property second lane to wish a hey child Steph for a mildly insensitive comment is absolutely horrible. many people use humor to lighten very dark situations to help them cope. And it's your right to be offended it still doesn't make you any less been awful person for wishing their child death.he also realize that his comment had struck a nerve and removed himself however in is following comment has shown that he does care about peoples depression
Rise@bove
3:46 am on Saturday, November 3, 2012
They should just remove these comment sections. Not once have I read one about any subject where people didnt try to fight and use it to talk trash. If you did know the family then have some class.