UPDATED: No Charges Likely For Parade Float Driver, No Past Parade Permits
By: Big 2 News Staff
Updated: December 7, 2012
MIDLAND -- Thursday marks three weeks since the train tragedy. Now, we're learning more about the communication with the railroad ahead of the parade, and the fate of the driver behind the float, which was hit by the train.
The City of Midland says it does not plan on pressing any charges against the driver of the flatbed truck that was hit by a Union Pacific train.
Four military veterans were killed and 17 other people were injured when the train crashed into a Smith Industries flatbed trailer being used as a Show of Support parade float, near the intersection of West Front Street and South Garfield Street around 4:35 PM on November 15th.
The parade float was carrying 12 veterans, their 12 wives and two escorts from the Doubletree by Hilton hotel to the Midland County Horseshoe Arena for the Show of Support banquet before tragedy struck.
The City of Midland plans on finishing its investigation over the next few days.
Once the report is finished, it will then be turned over to the Midland County District Attorney's Office. So it's unclear if any other charges could be filled for crash or not.
Meanwhile Union Pacific, the company operating the freight train, says it was never contact by Show of Support ahead of the parade.
Union Pacific's Corporate Relations and Media Director Raquel Espinoza-Williams says company records show Union Pacific has never been contacted by Show of Support in the non-profit's nine years of existence.
Williams-Espinoza says city officials or parade organizers usually reach out to Union Pacific, informing the railroad company about parade plans that will cross the railroad tracks. "We approach these requests on a case-by-case basis," Williams-Espinoza stated in an email to Big 2 News.
Dating back to 2003, Williams-Espinoza says Union Pacific has been contact twice by the City of Midland for parades -- once in 2003, for a December 14th parade that went over the Carver Street crossing, and then again in 2005, for a June 18th parade that went over the Lamessa Road crossing.
Union Pacific says in 2011, across Texas, it accommodated 148 different parades and other activities that crossed railroad tracks. So far in 2012, Union Pacific says its accommodated 117 groups that have hosted activities that have crossed over railroad tracks.
The City of Midland says it does not plan on pressing any charges against the driver of the flatbed truck that was hit by a Union Pacific train.
Four military veterans were killed and 17 other people were injured when the train crashed into a Smith Industries flatbed trailer being used as a Show of Support parade float, near the intersection of West Front Street and South Garfield Street around 4:35 PM on November 15th.
The parade float was carrying 12 veterans, their 12 wives and two escorts from the Doubletree by Hilton hotel to the Midland County Horseshoe Arena for the Show of Support banquet before tragedy struck.
The City of Midland plans on finishing its investigation over the next few days.
Once the report is finished, it will then be turned over to the Midland County District Attorney's Office. So it's unclear if any other charges could be filled for crash or not.
Meanwhile Union Pacific, the company operating the freight train, says it was never contact by Show of Support ahead of the parade.
Union Pacific's Corporate Relations and Media Director Raquel Espinoza-Williams says company records show Union Pacific has never been contacted by Show of Support in the non-profit's nine years of existence.
Williams-Espinoza says city officials or parade organizers usually reach out to Union Pacific, informing the railroad company about parade plans that will cross the railroad tracks. "We approach these requests on a case-by-case basis," Williams-Espinoza stated in an email to Big 2 News.
Dating back to 2003, Williams-Espinoza says Union Pacific has been contact twice by the City of Midland for parades -- once in 2003, for a December 14th parade that went over the Carver Street crossing, and then again in 2005, for a June 18th parade that went over the Lamessa Road crossing.
Union Pacific says in 2011, across Texas, it accommodated 148 different parades and other activities that crossed railroad tracks. So far in 2012, Union Pacific says its accommodated 117 groups that have hosted activities that have crossed over railroad tracks.
