Eunice RR crossing monitored for violations

Two citations were issued Thursday for railroad-related violation Thursday during a Crossing Accident Reduction Enforcement effort in Eunice, a news release from St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz stated.
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office and Eunice Police Department teamed up with Union Pacific Railroad Police to monitor railroad crossings in Eunice.
The program is in conjunction with Operation Lifesaver and is national, non-profit education and awareness program dedicated to ending tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way, the news release stated.
Operation Lifesaver promotes education for public awareness at crossings, Enforcement of the traffic laws relating to crossings, and engineering for continued research and innovation to improve the safety of railroad crossings, the news release said.
The first CARE event was held in the parish on July 2004 where agents issued 56 citations for railroad related violations.   
Maj. Eddie Thibodeaux, who heads up the event, said on average agents now write seven to eight citations per event, the news release stated.
Thibodeaux said the two citations issued Thursday are still too much and the two drivers instead of receiving a ticket could have died or been serious hurt if a collision would have actually occurred. 
Guidroz said, “According to state law, the driver of a vehicle shall slow down to a speed reasonable for existing conditions, or shall stop if necessary, before entering the intersection. After having listened and looked, the driver shall yield the right of way to any approaching train and then shall proceed only upon exercising due care and upon being sure that it is safe to proceed.” 
Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot said, “The law also prohibits any person to walk on the tracks or railroad property.  Violators will face trespassing charges if caught.  The penalty for the violation ranges from 175 or 30 days in jail on the first violation.  The second violation is not more than 500 or not more than 90 days and required to attend a court approved driver improvement course.”
Last week, a 46-year-old male was fatality stuck by a train, the news release sated.  The investigation showed that the train crew had seen the pedestrian walking on the tracks and attempted to stop; the engineer was blowing the horn for 50 seconds to alert the pedestrian but due to the long stopping distance of a train, struck the male killing him, the news release stated.
Thibodeaux said, “Pedestrians have no business walking on the tracks or near railroad property and urged pedestrians to, stay off, stay away, and stay alive.”