Update 08/09/2022 | 6:00 p.m.
Next of kin notification in this incident has been completed thanks to help from the public.
“We appreciate all the assistance we received which made notification to Mr. Crossman’s family possible,” said Sgt. Scott Kofoid of the Salem Police Traffic Team. Members of the public provided tips and information from various types of Internet and genealogy searches.
We are also grateful to the news outlets who helped by sharing information about our need to locate Mr. Crossman’s family.
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Request for assistance to locate victim’s family
Update 08/08/2022 | 2:00 p.m.
The victim in this incident is identified as Wesley James Crossman, age 55.
Salem Police Traffic Team investigators have been unable to locate Mr. Crossman’s direct family to notify them of his death.
If you know Mr. Crossman and know his family, or have a way to contact them, please call the Traffic Team at 503-588-6293.
Thank you.
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Originally published 08/02/2022 | 3:00 p.m.
Salem, Ore. — An early morning collision along the Union Pacific (UP) rail line in southeast Salem resulted in a fatality.
Emergency responders were called to the area of 14th and Hines STS SE just after 6:00 a.m. today on the report of a train striking a man walking along the railroad tracks.
The Salem Police Traffic Team’s preliminary investigation indicates the person was walking along the track as the northbound train approached. The rail crew sounded the horn and attempted to stop the train but could not avoid the collision. The man was declared deceased at the scene.
The name of the decedent will not be released pending notification to the family.
Due to the length of the train, traffic impacts occurred where the UP tracks cross at about the 1400 block of Hines ST SE and also at McGilchrist ST SE where the line runs parallel to Pringle RD SE. The train was released from the scene by UP officials at approximately 11:00 a.m.
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