CCHS student dies after struck by train

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

A 16-year-old Copperas Cove sophomore lost his life on Wednesday afternoon while crossing the railroad tracks after school.

The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m., and first responders were dispatched to the scene, located on the tracks west of Copperas Cove Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. No one else was injured after the BNSF train headed from Sweetwater to Temple braked to a stop.

According to Joe Faust, director of public affairs for BNSF, the company’s train engines have cameras and an investigator with BNSF along with the Copperas Cove Police Department are examining the recording from a camera on that particular engine.

“The process is not long, but it is thorough,” Faust said on Wednesday night. He said more information would become available after the recordings were examined.

“We’re also determining train speed,” Faust added. He said a train that’s traveling 50 mph takes one mile to stop.

Faust said whenever a BNSF engine approaches railroad crossings, the conductor is required to sound the horn four times—two blasts, then a single blast, followed by a longer horn blast as the engine passes through a railroad crossing.

The incident occurred east of an unmarked crossing but west of the North 7th Street crossing. At this point it is not known if the student was crossing the tracks alone or if he was with other students who had left school for the day.

On Wednesday evening, CCISD posted a statement on social media about the loss of the student.

“It is with a heavy heart that we express condolences to the family of the Copperas Cove High School student who passed away this evening. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. Additional counselors will be available at CCHS tomorrow and through the remainder of the week to meet with students and staff and will remain available as long as needed. Please keep this family in your prayers.”

The president of the Pride of Cove Band and Color Guard boosters posted on the group’s Facebook page Wednesday evening that the group had lost one of “our Pride of Cove family members.”

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