January 26, 2006

  • Driver failed to beat train

    MAN'S APPARENT IMPATIENCE COSTS GIRLFRIEND HER LIFE AS CALTRAIN SLAMS PICKUP TRUCK AT BARRED CROSSING

    By Kimra McPherson
    Mercury News

    A man whose pickup truck was smashed by a commuter train Monday in Morgan Hill apparently became impatient after getting stuck at a crossing and decided to forge ahead despite the lowered crossing gates, police said Tuesday.

    Nathan Schrock, 20, of Gilroy, was seriously injured when his truck was struck by a southbound Caltrain liner about 6:50 p.m., said Cmdr. Joe Sampson of the Morgan Hill Police Department. Schrock's passenger, Jacqueline Gamboa, 18, of Gilroy, was killed.

    Police said Schrock was driving his 1995 GMC Sonoma pickup north on Railroad Avenue, intending to turn left and head west on San Pedro Avenue. He was stopped behind two other vehicles, one on Railroad Avenue and one waiting at the railroad crossing on San Pedro Avenue. The gates at the crossing were down and the lights were flashing, indicating the oncoming train on the way to Gilroy, Sampson said.

    Witnesses told police they saw Schrock become agitated and then drive past the vehicles stopped in front of him, Sampson said. Schrock then started to drive his truck around the gates as passengers in one of the nearby vehicles called out for him to stop, Sampson said. Before he could make it across, the train came.

    Schrock's truck ``essentially was cut in half,'' Sampson said.

    Gamboa, Schrock's girlfriend, was ejected from the truck and fatally injured, Sampson said.

    Schrock also was ejected from the truck and was taken by helicopter to a local hospital with severe head trauma and other injuries, Sampson said. He was listed in critical but stable condition Tuesday and had regained consciousness.

    DMV records show Schrock had a valid driver's license with only one blemish on his record -- a citation a year ago for not wearing his seat belt.

    Sampson said he did not know whether the pair were belted in -- or whether it would have mattered.

    No one was hurt on the commuter train, said Jonah Weinberg, a Caltrain spokesman. Commuters were transferred to buses shortly after the accident. The train, which sustained no serious damage, was back in service in the morning.

    Weinberg said the last fatality from a Caltrain collision with another vehicle was in 2004 in South San Francisco.

    Morgan Hill police are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were involved or whether criminal charges against Schrock are warranted, Sampson said.

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    WhenI found out about this accident on Tuesday morning from my boss, Irealized that I had worked with the girl's mother at the company I amcurrently at.  She is so torn up inside about this whole situationbecause that was her baby.  I feel so badly for her.  Being amother, I realized that this is probably one of the worst things thatcan happen - when your child dies before you do.  The girl wasonly 18 years old and had so much life ahead of her.  My thoughtsand prayers are with the Gamboa family.  Rest in Peace JacquelineGamboa.