On Saturday night, a 14-year-old Lombard girl was struck and killed by an oncoming freight train in Villa Park.
Kristen Bowen, who was a freshman at Willowbrook High School, was struck and killed by an eastbound Union Pacific Railway train at around 7:55 p.m. on Feb. 11.
According to the DuPage County coroner’s office, Bowen was seen crossing the tracks at North Terrace Park in Villa Park before she was hit by the train. She was pronounced dead at 9:25 p.m.
The Villa Park police and fire departments responded to the area and, with the help of the coroner’s office, are investigating the accident.
According to Villa Park police Lt. Ray Fisher, before the accident, Bowen had spoken with a friend and they were going to meet at North Terrace Park.
Residing on the corner of St. Charles Rd. and Ahrens Ave., Bowen then proceeded to head north on Ahrens Ave. toward the park, Fisher said. As she approached the tracks, she apparently noticed a westbound Union Pacific coal train on the southernmost track.
Bowen allegedly noticed the train, rain in front of it, and while looking at that train, never turned to look to the west. An eastbound Union Pacific stack train was in the center lane and struck Bowen, added Fisher.
According to Willowbrook High School Principal Evelyn Ennsmann, Bowen was an honor student at Willowbrook.
"She was a very nice young lady, always willing to help others," said Ennsmann. "She worked very hard in all her classes."
According to Villa Park police Officer William Lyons, this is not the first accident of this magnitude to occur near North Terrace Park, citing an incident in 1998 where a husban and wife were hit near the same area.
The Villa Park police have a zero-tolerance policy for residents they encounter not using a public grade crossing. The department documents all violators and informs their parents and school, said Lyons.
Reprinted with permission from the Lombardian