Young Male Struck By NKJTransit Train in Montclair - Watchung Station

Update: 5:22 p.m. Eamonn Wholley, 18, of Montclair, has been identified as the young man killed by a train this morning.

Superintendent Penny MacCormack sent this statement:

I am saddened to confirm that this morning at approximately 11 am one of our Montclair High School students was struck and killed by a NJ Transit train near Watchung Avenue. The police and transit investigations are ongoing. Our hearts and thoughts are with the student’s family, friends, and teachers. Further updates will be forthcoming. Counseling will be available in the days ahead for those in the Montclair Public Schools touched by this tragedy.

Update 4:30p.m. NJ Transit’s John Durso, Jr., senior director, corporate communications confirms that an 18-year-old male was struck and killed on the tracks. Durso adds that according to witnesses “the trespasser entered the tracks by climbing an embankment, walking across one track and positioning himself in front of the ongoing train. He made no attempt to remove himself from the path of the train.”

The incident remains under investigation by NJTPD.

Update 11:56 a.m.: NJ Transit alerts now report incident as a pedestrian fatality.

A young male was struck by a NJ Transit train, an official confirmed at the scene of the incident. The pedestrian was struck just after 11 a.m. this morning.

According to Courtney Caroll at NJ Transit, train #6226 had left Montclair State University at 10:52 a.m. and was scheduled to reach New York Penn Station at 11:48. “The train struck and fatally injured a trespasser just west of the Watchung Avenue station,” says Carroll. “New Jersey Transit police are investigating.”

watchungNone of the 30 passengers or train crew were injured; passengers, who were told by train personnel a person had been was struck, were offered the option of transferring to another train or utilizng DeCamp bus service. Watchung Avenue at Park Street (near Valero) was closed to traffic.

NJ Transit is alerting passengers to expect 30 minute delays in both directions on Montclair Boonton line.

28 replies on “MHS Student Struck and Killed By NJ Transit Train in Montclair – Watchung Station (Updated)”

  1. Very compassionate, Ms. Carroll — a “trespasser?” A tragedy has occurred for some family, and the best you can do is call him a “trespasser?”

  2. Well technically the train tracks are completely off limits to avoid this exact situation, so this would make this individual a “trespasser”

  3. NJ Transit referred to a “trespasser fatality” in its service alert, and I’m sure that is why the writer used trespasser in quotes in the title to this blo post — to provide more information to readers but also to be as respectful as possible.

  4. Trespasser is the term of art for somebody who is on the tracks in an area not permitted to individuals.

    NJ Transit has consistently used the term to describe people walking along the right of way, short cutting across the tracks, apparent suicides, etc. The Bergen Record uses quote marks around the term, and will sometimes use the expression “unauthorized person on the tracks”.

    I feel sorry for the engineer who had to see this, and the first responders who have to collect the pieces, hose down the wheels etc.

  5. “trespasser” may be the correct term, but it is not the compassionate term. This was a human being.

  6. My heart sinks every time I hear of someone dying on tracks. I feel for this poor person, the friends and family…..

    In the ’60s, a beloved guy in town was struck by a train adjacent to Mountainside Park. The train horn blared to warn him, to no avail….and we all were left to mourn, wonder and debate the Doppler effect on hearing with high-speed vehicles.

    As a former corporate spokesperson, I can tell you these responses by the NJT representatives are highly-vetted “standby statements.” By the time they wend their way through legal, HR, PR, operations and risk management…it’s all you can do to make sure you sound like you’re speaking English. Besides Ms. Carroll’s injection, The Montclair Times is reporting that NJT termed it a “trespasser fatality.” Yes, cold as the iron tracks. But there’s a reason, and at the very least, it’s probably liability. It’s fine if you don’t want to say what the statement reads. You can just look for a job elsewhere. Of course it wouldn’t hurt, as a spokesperson, to add that “our thoughts are with the victim, family and friends,” but today that’s often viewed as gratuitous PR-speak and might well not make the story. Still, it’s worth trying.

  7. We are conditioned to consider the word trespasser as a really negative label rather than a simple “someone who should not be there”. Unless this was an employee of NJT the term trespasser is appropriate. Sure we don’t know why someone was up there..chasing a lost dog, bored, who knows. At a very young age I was told never to walk on those tracks. An event like this only reinforces that lesson.

  8. I once cut through the Holland Hotel parking lot to shortcut the line at the Holland Tunnel. I was given a ticket for “Vehicular Trespassing.” My car felt terrible about it.

  9. I hope no one (witnesses/media) releases the name of the deceased before the family has been notified. I’m so sad for the family and loved ones.

  11. I would say the use of trespasser here is in the same category as calling someone who robs and beats someone an actor.

    Very sad this happened…My thoughts and prayers are with the family.

  12. Very sad. My sympathies to the family and friends.

    In my youth I was an almost daily trespasser on those tracks. At least until we lost a couple friends not far from there. If I recall correctly, there have been a number a people killed in the stretch from Upper Montclair to Walnut since then. If I were to speculate, the person was struck on or near the tressle, where you can’t just move to the side when the train is coming.

  13. Say hello to eternity my friend. I hope the other side is better for you than this side was. Damn shame.

  14. Maybe this is the inevitable result of the “quiet zone”. Electric trains are very quiet. They need to be able to announce themselves loudly. I am very sad for this young mans family.

  15. Montclair Public Schools just sent out an email saying the victim was an MHS student, but no name yet. Whoever it is, I am so sad for him, his family, and all his classmates.

  16. crazycat – this has nothing to do with the quiet zone. The quiet zone rules apply to train horns at grade crossings, where the tracks intersect with roads. Watchung station does not have a grade crossing as the train line is above road level. The trains do give a single horn blast when approaching a station platform

  17. This kind of story makes me sick.

    My thoughts and prayers to out to the family and friends. Knowing that most life circumstances are never seen as temporary as they usually are, it’s best not to speculate on the cause.

    Because whatever the reason, it won’t help the deep loss the loved ones and friends must feel.

  18. This is very sad.

    Condolences to family and friends of the deceased, and sympathies to the train crew and first responders. It has to be a gut wrenching process.

  19. Spicoli, Thanks for clarifying that. Based on the update I don’t think any amount of warning would have helped anyway.

  21. Along with the many others on this site, my condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of this young man.

  22. At only age 18, It is hard to imagine the degree of pain he must have been in to think that this was the best way out. On the other hand, you hope that it wasn’t something ridiculous like his first girlfriend wanted to break up with him.
    No use speculating without knowing him.
    Just so sad. If any kid out there is thinking of going this route, talk to someone. Whatever you are going through it will be better. It may take a few weeks,a few months, or longer, but things chance and there are people who want to help.

  24. Form NAMI: “While the reasons that teens commit suicide vary widely, there are some common situations and circumstances that seem to lead to such extreme measures. These include major disappointment, rejection, failure, or loss such as breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, failing a big exam, or witnessing family turmoil. Since the overwhelming majority of those who commit suicide have a mental or substance-related disorder, they often have difficulty coping with such crippling stressors. They are unable to see that their life can turn around, unable to recognize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Usually, the common reasons for suicide listed above are actually not the “causes” of the suicide, but rather triggers for suicide in a person suffering from a mental illness or substance-related disorder.

    More recently, scientists have focused on the biology of suicide. Suicide is thought by some to have a genetic component, to run in families. And research has shown strong evidence that mental and substance-related disorders, which commonly affect those who end up committing suicide, do run in families. While the suicide of a relative is obviously not a direct “cause” of suicide, it does, perhaps, put certain individuals at more risk than others. Certainly, the suicide of one’s parent or other close family member could lead to thoughts of such behavior in a teen with a mental or substance-related disorder.

    Research has also explored the specific brain chemistry of those who take their own lives. Recent studies indicate that those who have attempted suicide may also have low levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin helps control impulsivity, and low levels of the brain chemical are thought to cause more impulsive behavior. Suicides are often committed out of impulse. Antidepressant drugs affecting serotonin are used to treat depression, impulsivity, and suicidal thoughts. However, much more research is needed to confirm these hypotheses and, hopefully, eventually lead to more definite indicators of and treatment for those prone to suicide”

  25. OK LAST ONE i PROMISE: How to Help

    Since people who are contemplating suicide feel so alone and helpless, the most important thing to do if you think a friend or loved one is suicidal is to communicate with him or her openly and frequently. Make it clear that you care; stress your willingness to listen. Also, be sure to take all talk of suicide seriously. Don’t assume that people who talk about killing themselves won’t really do it. An estimated 80 percent of all those who commit suicide give some warning of their intentions or mention their feelings to a friend or family member. And don’t ignore what may seem like casual threats or remarks. Statements like “You’ll be sorry when I’m dead” and “I can’t see any way out,” no matter how off-the-cuff or jokingly said, may indicate serious suicidal feelings.

    One of the most common misconceptions about talking with someone who might be contemplating suicide is that bringing up the subject may make things worse. This is not true. There is no danger of “giving someone the idea.” Rather, the opposite is correct. Bringing up the question of suicide and discussing it without showing shock or disapproval is one of the most helpful things you can do. This openness shows that you are taking the individual seriously and responding to the severity of his or her distress.

    If you do find that your friend or loved one is contemplating suicide, it is essential to help him or her find immediate professional care. (Calling the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI [6264] for more information or to help you locate your local NAMI for area assistance is one possible resource.) Don’t make the common misjudgment that those contemplating suicide are unwilling to seek help. Studies of suicide victims show that more than half had sought medical help within six months before their deaths. And don’t leave the suicidal person to find help alone—they usually aren’t capable. Also, never assume that someone who is determined to end his or her life can’t be stopped. Even the most severely depressed person has mixed feelings about death, wavering until the very last moment between wanting to live and wanting to die. Most suicidal people do not want death; they want the pain to stop. The impulse to end it all, though, no matter how overpowering, does not last forever.

  26. This person is one of my closest friends, I cared about him very much. I will always remember how amazing this man was and when he talked to someone and opened up he was funny and outgoing. As another person put it one day that I and many other joke about and agree Eamonn was quiet but sassy. My deepest condolences go out to his family. We will miss you Eamonn you have made my life and the lives of the people who where in yours very happy whether you realized it or not. Im not sure if and one had told you this but it was your birthday on yesterday happy birthday. good bye

  27. What a sad story. Just heartbreaking. Thank you Lydiagranuzzo for sharing a bit about who Eamonn was.

  28. So terribly sad. My heart goes out to his parents, his family, the Montclair High students and community. And lydiagranuzzo…I am so sorry for your loss and I thank you for your words about your lost friend. Rest in Peace, Eamonn, I hope you feel no more pain. God bless you.

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