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California man survives leap onto train from overpass
Trains Magazine ^ | Nov 4, 2005 | proprietary

Posted on 11/07/2005 7:24:36 PM PST by Sam Cree

CAMARILLO, Calif. – A man jumped onto the top of Amtrak Pacific Surfliner No. 768 from a highway overpass in Camarillo on Thursday, according to an Associated Press story and published in the San Diego Union-Tribune. The man, Juan Lopez, 33, of Camarillo, was arrested farther down the line by Ventura County sheriff's deputies who swooped in by helicopter. Lopez made the 20-foot leap at about 9 a.m., authorities said. Camarillo is 13 miles east of Ventura. Train 768 operates from San Luis Obispo to San Diego.

"At this point the train starts pulling out and the witnesses see Mr. Lopez standing on top of the train waving to everyone in the parking lot," Deputy Julie Novak told KCAL-TV Los Angeles.

The Amtrak engineer, unaware Lopez was on top of the train, continued south to Somis. A helicopter then dropped deputies onto the train.

Novak said that Lopez was still on top of the train when the deputies arrived at Somis. Uncooperative and not following their orders, Lopez was distracted by deputies on the ground while others on top of the train snuck up behind him. It was then they discovered Lopez had a broken ankle. He was restrained and taken to Pleasant Valley Hospital Medical Center.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: amtrak; jumping
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Probably a Kerry voter.
1 posted on 11/07/2005 7:24:36 PM PST by Sam Cree
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To: Sam Cree

--guys do it all the time in the movies--


2 posted on 11/07/2005 7:26:15 PM PST by rellimpank (urbanites don' t understand the cultural deprivation of not being raised on a farm:NRABenefactor)
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To: Sam Cree

Why not just radio the train to stop?


3 posted on 11/07/2005 7:29:35 PM PST by HarryCaul
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To: Sam Cree
Lopez made the 20-foot leap at about 9 a.m., authorities said.

20 feet doesn't sound like much, but then again most suburban roofs are no more than 20 feet high, in most cases lower. Imagine jumping off the roof of your house onto something solid. I'm just surprised he only broke his ankle.

33? This is something I'd expect from a 19-year-old.

4 posted on 11/07/2005 7:30:09 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: rellimpank
When I was younger, I jumped in between two Chicago 'el' cars when the doors had closed and it was pulling out of the station. Didn't want to wait for the next train. That was when I was younger, quicker and much dumber. ;-)
It would have been a real mess if there had been even a little slip.
5 posted on 11/07/2005 7:30:37 PM PST by glorgau
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To: Sam Cree

It's Superhobo!


6 posted on 11/07/2005 7:30:52 PM PST by SIDENET ("IT'S A COOKBOOK!!!")
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To: Sam Cree
Maybe next time he will think to
7 posted on 11/07/2005 7:32:14 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Sam Cree
A Surfliner- Who could resist?
8 posted on 11/07/2005 7:33:20 PM PST by keat (Posting code without previewing since 2004)
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To: HarryCaul
Why not just radio the train to stop?

Dude, if you had the chance to hot rope onto a train, wouldn't you?

9 posted on 11/07/2005 7:34:50 PM PST by kerryusama04 (The UN wants our guns so they can rape our children and steal our money)
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To: HarryCaul

That's my question.

So, instead of doing the safe, smart thing - they endanger alot more lives with a Hollywierd helicopter stunt.

What did this slug do, anyway, that caused him to be chased?


10 posted on 11/07/2005 7:35:24 PM PST by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and I'm tired of smiling.)
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To: kerryusama04

Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you should; or that it is a smart thing to do.


11 posted on 11/07/2005 7:36:30 PM PST by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and I'm tired of smiling.)
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To: Sam Cree
A helicopter then dropped deputies onto the train.

We really want taxpayer money to do this to catch hobos? How about the risk to the deputies?

12 posted on 11/07/2005 7:37:13 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: rellimpank
It didn't say they charged him with anything...at least a use has been found for Amtrak.


13 posted on 11/07/2005 7:37:17 PM PST by Sam Cree (absolute reality - Miami)
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To: glorgau

Kids, don't do stunts on the El unless you're Steve McQueen.


14 posted on 11/07/2005 7:38:23 PM PST by dighton
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To: Sam Cree

Trains magazine?? Talk about riveting reading.


15 posted on 11/07/2005 7:38:41 PM PST by Nonstatist
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To: glorgau
I actually hopped a (slow) freight coming out of the switching yard when I was a kid.

Fortunately I didn't get spotted, didn't get in trouble, didn't lose a leg, and hopped off a mile or so down the line when the train slowed and I realized I might be in deep kim chi if I didn't hop off pronto and sneak home before anybody saw me . . .

16 posted on 11/07/2005 7:41:13 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: AnAmericanMother

I got on a freight train in Castroville, Ca (Monterey area) and ended up the next morning in the Glendale shipping yards with 50 cents in my pocket.


17 posted on 11/07/2005 8:01:06 PM PST by claudiustg (Go Bush! Go Sharon!)
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To: claudiustg
Glad you're here to tell the tale!

I only made it as far as the river bridge below the old Southern RR Inman Yards on the NW side of Atlanta . . .

18 posted on 11/07/2005 8:03:14 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: Sam Cree; Rabid Dog
Juan Lopez

Hmmm, and the missing item in this article is...?

19 posted on 11/07/2005 8:10:20 PM PST by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
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To: ElkGroveDan

When I was 14 my one of my buddies and I lived in a highrise.....We would climb off his balcony on the 14th floor and swing balcony to balcony until we reached the 8th floor were one of our other friends lived......

It's amazing we survived....


20 posted on 11/07/2005 8:11:38 PM PST by nevergore (“It could be that the purpose of my life is simply to serve as a warning to others.”)
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