Police bust railroad trespassers
Sarah Daniel
Issue date: 4/1/04 Section: News
"The trespassing statues in Missouri and the city ordinance of Warrensburg state that if you breach any device designed to keep people out, like a fence or a gate (it's considered trespassing)," Holman said. "So when the lights come on and people run across to beat the train, that's a criminal violation of trespassing and probably a gate violation under the traffic statues in Missouri."
Holman said people should always be cautious at railroad crossings because if they trip or are caught off-guard by a motorist while a train is passing, a serious accident could occur.
"The whole thing is, you've got people...even if they were stone-cold sober and paying attention, (who) in addition to violating the law are taking a great risk with their safety by running across there because you never know what can happen," he said.
Union Pacific Police agents have been carefully watching the railroad violations that occur at the Holden and Washington crossings. Holman said he has seen people playing chicken with trains, trying to commit suicide and getting their vehicle caught on the tracks by driving on the rails. In the past few years there has been at least one death on the railroad.
Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29, Holman said both the Union Pacific Police and the Warrensburg Police Department have made contact with 60 trespassers at the Holden and Washington crossings.
"That's by all means not inclusive of all the people that trespassed, those are just the ones that got caught," he said.
The Union Pacific Police don't give a citation to every offender, just as municipal policemen don't neccessarly give a ticket to every person they pull over.
"It depends on nature of violation or how serious of a safety issue it is," Holman said.
He said that typically when an arrest is made, offenders are transported to the Warrensburg Police Department for booking.
"They (WPD) issue a municipal summons. That person has to appear in court. And the court typically assesses a fine," Holman said.
Holman said people should always be cautious at railroad crossings because if they trip or are caught off-guard by a motorist while a train is passing, a serious accident could occur.
"The whole thing is, you've got people...even if they were stone-cold sober and paying attention, (who) in addition to violating the law are taking a great risk with their safety by running across there because you never know what can happen," he said.
Union Pacific Police agents have been carefully watching the railroad violations that occur at the Holden and Washington crossings. Holman said he has seen people playing chicken with trains, trying to commit suicide and getting their vehicle caught on the tracks by driving on the rails. In the past few years there has been at least one death on the railroad.
Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29, Holman said both the Union Pacific Police and the Warrensburg Police Department have made contact with 60 trespassers at the Holden and Washington crossings.
"That's by all means not inclusive of all the people that trespassed, those are just the ones that got caught," he said.
The Union Pacific Police don't give a citation to every offender, just as municipal policemen don't neccessarly give a ticket to every person they pull over.
"It depends on nature of violation or how serious of a safety issue it is," Holman said.
He said that typically when an arrest is made, offenders are transported to the Warrensburg Police Department for booking.
"They (WPD) issue a municipal summons. That person has to appear in court. And the court typically assesses a fine," Holman said.