34-year-old William Jenkins, of the Bronx, was hit by two trains on a commuter rail line Wednesday morning and his mangled body lay for hours beneath the second, officials said.
Metro-North railroad spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said it was not known whether Williams was killed by the trains or was dead before he was hit northeast of New York City. Painkiller prescription bottles were found near the man, and his mangled body was being autopsied for clues about whether he was dead before he was run over. The Westchester County medical examiner’s office said late in the afternoon that no cause of death had been established. Both suicide and homicide were being considered as police and prosecutors went to the scene just north of the Mount Vernon West station.
Williams apparently lifeless and shackled with metal handcuffs, was spotted at 6:50 a.m. on the northbound tracks by the crew of the second train, which had no passengers. Anders said the train did not have time to stop before five cars ran over the body.
Anders said Jenkins was a former Mount Vernon resident. Once his identity was confirmed — his name was on the prescription bottles — police notified relatives and went to the Bronx to search his apartment.
Anders said no witnesses had been found but police would be questioning early commuters at the station on Thursday.
She said evidence found on the previous train that went through the station showed that it too had struck the man, with the crew apparently unaware.
The body was under the stopped train for more than three hours, blocked from the sight of commuters on the platform by a yellow tarp. Other trains were able to use another track and service interruptions were minimal, Anders said.
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raymondm
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
What a horrible story. Its so sad that people get to that point in life where they think it is never going to get better. In actuality it will! I will say a prayer for his family.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Very sad story indeed. Such a terrible things happen these days. Prayers for him and his family.
October 19th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I wonder how a train can hit something and there is no indication of something being hit. Why was he shackled? I would say for sure that this was no accident.
November 6th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
What an awful tale.