Tragedy on the Tracks: Witnesses recall deadly train accident in Abilene

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) - A deadly train accident in Abilene on Tuesday afternoon has left the community shaken, as witnesses recall the moments leading up to the tragedy. Members of the Abilene Fire Department, as well as Union Pacific personnel, were out early this morning clearing what remains of a tragic accident that cost the life of 37-year-old Timothy Delgado. Delgado was walking along the train tracks at roughly 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, near the crossing on South 1st Street and Shelton Streets when a train struck him from behind. LaDonna Pharris, owner of Hot Spot Tanning Resort on North 1st Street, said she has often witnessed such scenarios during her many years at this location. "I've been here 27 years, and over those years I've seen dozens of people pass on the railroad track. When you see the train stop, your heart immediately sinks because they have hit a pedestrian or a car, because they don't stop for any other reason," Pharris said. Sonya Naegele, owner of La Villa on South 1st Street, was working at the time of the incident. She captured the accident on an outdoor surveillance camera and recalled what she witnessed. "I first heard the sirens cause that's what alerted me. After I realized what was going on, I played back the tape, and then I knew something was bad. It was scary. It looked like he was blindsided," Naegele explained. "I know he shouldn't have been crossing the tracks, but it did look like he was maybe putting his ear buds on... and just diagonally, maybe crossing the tracks. And it hit him." After the incident, Naegele started noticing posts on social media about the accident and saw comments that upset her about the situation. She decided to reach out to Timothy Delgado's family to offer condolences and any support that she could to the grieving family. "I reached out to the family after reading negative comments, and I didn't want to leave that as a picture of him. I reached out to them, and they informed me that he had a nine-year-old son to whom they had to break the news. But they're appreciative of the information," Naegele shared. After reaching out to Union Pacific about the incident, they provided our stations with the following statement: "On Tuesday at about 1:00 p.m. CDT, a trespasser on Union Pacific property in Abilene, Texas, was struck and killed by a train. The incident did not occur at a crossing. Support is being offered to crew members operating the train at the time of the incident. They were not physically injured." -- Mike Jaixen, Senior Manager of Corporate Communication for Union Pacific