unbelievable sad tragic news report " Coming Home With Dream Car "

[rav440]

my buddy told me this story the other day and i did not belive him . but it turned out to be true this is just beyond sad

DERRY, Pa. -- A man who had just bought his dream car lost control of the classic vehicle as he drove it home and went barreling toward an oncoming train in Derry, Westmoreland County.

George Struble Jr. was driving down the Blair Way alley near First Avenue at about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday when his car possibly failed to stop, Derry Police Chief Randolph Glick said.

Video - Watch Janelle Hall's Report

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/21986549/index.html

At some point, police said, the 61-year-old Derry man somehow jumped out or was ejected before his 1965 Pontiac GTO continued onto the tracks and collided with a train. Police said he died from blunt force trauma.

"Once we got on the scene and were able to investigate, we were able to determine there was no one in the vehicle. There was some type of issue with the vehicle," Glick said.

Stacey Rosa, the victim's sister-in-law, said Struble was a mechanic by trade and the car was a Christmas gift to himself.

"My husband and he went out and got the car. Drove it the whole way home -- 150 miles. It went fine. My husband followed him," Rosa said. "They stopped at the garage for just a very short while, and he wanted to bring it home to show his wife because he got his dream car -- an old '65 GTO."

Police continue to investigate why the car may not have been able to stop.

"He probably -- we know in our hearts because he was so good at this -- was thinking, 'I don't want to hit people or cars, I want to aim straight and try to get control,' and he just wasn't able to keep control," Rosa said. "Once he hit the bottom, he knew, so he bailed out. He tried real hard to evacuate, and the car of course went over the tracks."

The empty car came to rest on the tracks and was then hit by a Norfolk Southern freight train.

Police said the train's operator tried to brake but smashed right into the car. The driver was found about 40 yards before the railroad tracks and was pronounced dead at the scene.

"It was a terrible crunching sound. Sparks just flew as high as the trees," said Carla Smen, who lives next to the crash scene. "I was on the phone with 911 when it hit, and it just took forever for the train to slow down."

[tan top]

awww man thats soo sad

[greenpigs]

Thats just a bummer....I wonder how the guy who sold him the GTO feels about now?

[Bakaruda]

Man thats a terrible story.

[nh_mopar_fan]

Geez. That's terrible.

[Mike DC]

   
I don't understand the wreck being described at all.



The guy is driving a car, and he "can't stop it" while it heads towards a train crossing. 

It's going so out of control but he somehow knows that it's going to stop ON the tracks (not 6 feet before the tracks and not 6 feet past them). 

So he either jumps out or gets thrown out (before the car gets hit by the train?) and then the car gets hit?  WTF? 

   

[PocketThunder]

I thought the train was already crossing the track and he would hit it from the side, hence his decision to jump out. 

[Arthu®]

I thought the train was already crossing the track and he would hit it from the side, hence his decision to jump out. 

That's how I understood it as well.

Sad story anyways.

Arthur

[89MOPAR]

  MAybe he was having a heart attack and got out of the car, fell over and cracked his head, then the car idled foward until it got onto the tracks , which stopped the car ?

  -or- maybe he had a terminal illness, wanted a ride in his dream car, bought it, insured it for 10X what it was worth, then drove it, did a big burnout, then got out of the car, where his brother in law whacked him with a pipe killing him, bro in law then drove car onto tracks and left it there.  Now widow gets insurance payment and the guy lives on in an urban legend ??

Who knows, sad, weird, and definitely one less '65 GTO/ Tempest in this world...

[jb666]

That is so sad....

[bull]

Wow. Merry Christmas. A story doesn't get much crappier than that does it?

[RD]

i wonder if the accelerator cable got stuck and the car just started hauling butt?  very sad story especially since he was taking it home to show his wife.... very sad.

[ChgrSteve67]

How is it people forget to turn the car off, take it out of gear or put it in park and step on the emergency brake?

Sad to hear somone dies or get injured as soon as they get something they really wanted.

[LoneStar Mopar]

Absolutely horrible! 

[G-man]

   
I don't understand the wreck being described at all.



The guy is driving a car, and he "can't stop it" while it heads towards a train crossing. 

It's going so out of control but he somehow knows that it's going to stop ON the tracks (not 6 feet before the tracks and not 6 feet past them). 

So he either jumps out or gets thrown out (before the car gets hit by the train?) and then the car gets hit?  WTF? 

   

maybe he had a terminal illness, wanted a ride in his dream car, bought it, insured it for 10X what it was worth, then drove it, did a big burnout, then got out of the car, where his brother in law whacked him with a pipe killing him, bro in law then drove car onto tracks and left it there.  Now widow gets insurance payment and the guy lives on in an urban legend ??

Wow. Merry Christmas.

When you read it that way.

The train tried to stop meaning the car stopped right there... Wouldnt have more accelerator helped? Its like he wanted to suicide (heading for the train) then changed his mind and jumped out of the car... but failed.

[dads_69]

Odd story for sure. If you pull back on your emergency brake handle while holding it ease into it and it will work like your braking the car as if using your actual brake pedal. Throw the shifter in neutral, turn the key off.
Really doesn't add up as to why the guy didn't react like he most likely knew better on how to stop a car before hitting a train of all things.
Sad and weird at the same time.

[MoparManJim]

Man that is very very sad of what happen to both the guy and the car.   

Did you all ever stop to think maybe he seen the trian coming as the car was rolling down the long road way and he tryed to stop the car. But seeing on how the car was going it must have not had brakes though and at the last point he probably figure more likely. That the train was going to hit the car as it cross the tracks or got to the tracks because the train was coming down the tracks. He was also heading towards them as well in a car that he didn't have control over at that point yet so he jump out not wanting to get hit by the train in the car. But sadly when he jump he also clip a flower bed corner that really hurted him  . I would have rather seen the car get smash then to seen him loose his life though.

Heck, if that was me in that car and i got closer to the tracks I would have said heck with the car and bailed also.

[Tilar]

How is it people forget to turn the car off, take it out of gear or put it in park and step on the emergency brake?

Sad to hear somone dies or get injured as soon as they get something they really wanted.

That sounds like it right there. They said he got out of the car at his house and then it started rolling, so to me he forgot to put it in gear or set the brakes OR the emergency brake cable broke. Then he jumped out hitting his head. It's sad anyway it happened.

[PocketThunder]

How is it people forget to turn the car off, take it out of gear or put it in park and step on the emergency brake?

Sad to hear somone dies or get injured as soon as they get something they really wanted.

That sounds like it right there. They said he got out of the car at his house and then it started rolling, so to me he forgot to put it in gear or set the brakes OR the emergency brake cable broke. Then he jumped out hitting his head. It's sad anyway it happened.

This story was on moparts and they said he jumped out of the car and hit his head on a planter box.  That caused him to die.  Thats why i'm not into gardening.

[Highbanked Hauler]

    Maybe he stopped at the garage to put brake fluid in as the brakes might have been soft figuring he would fix it "tomorrow" and tomorrow never came. You never know when you will get your ticket punched, definately sucks .

[bull]

This story was on moparts and they said he jumped out of the car and hit his head on a planter box.  That caused him to die.  Thats why i'm not into gardening.

What? That's why you're not into gardening?