Posted on 09/05/2008 7:50:24 AM PDT by Stoat
Amtrak Passenger Stabbed While Sleeping - Considering the recent beheading in Canada an a Greyhound bus, an attempted beheading on another bus, and this… I may consider alternatives to public transportation.
A 24-year-old man was stabbed while sleeping on an Amtrak train just south of the Oregon state line.
The suspect, Armando Avalos, jumped from the train and suffered a broken ankle, authorities said. Avalos, 48, of Oxnard, Calif., was arrested Saturday on charges of attempted murder, parole violation and manufacture and possession of a dangerous weapon.
He was being held without bail Tuesday at the jail in Siskiyou County, Calif.
The victim, Rodolfo Marroquin, of Visalia, Calif., was taken to Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, where he was treated for four stab wounds on the left side of his back, said Susan Gravenkamp, a spokeswoman for the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
Marroquin told investigators he boarded the train in Eugene and sat next to Avalos. The strangers spoke briefly.
Avalos paced the aisle and left the rail car for a time, making Marroquin uncomfortable. Marroquin said he switched to another seat and fell asleep. He awoke to a sharp pain in his back and the sight of Avalos running away. Officials said Avalos jumped after the emergency brake was pulled.
Deputies and a search dog looking for Avalos spotted him along a rural road, sitting beside a fire. Avalos notified deputies that his ankle was broken. He was arrested and taken to Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka, where he underwent surgery, Gravenkamp said.
A backpack Avalos left on the train contained a loaded handgun, ammunition, a digital scale and marijuana, the sheriff’s office said.
Oxnard resident arrested after man stabbed on train Oxnard Ventura County Star
Armando Avalos, 48, broke his ankle and was arrested by Siskiyou County sheriff's deputies who found him huddling over a fire in the 35-degree air, said sheriff's spokeswoman Susan Gravenkamp in Yreka.
After Avalos was treated for the broken ankle at a Yreka hospital, he allegedly threw a cup of urine at a sheriff's deputy and, as a result, Avalos will be charged with assault on a police officer in addition to the attempted murder charge and a parole violation charge.
The victim, Rodolfo Marroquin, is a resident of Visalia, in central California. He was treated for four knife punctures in his back, one of which nearly punctured his lung, officials said. After treatment, he was released.
Marroquin told deputies he boarded the Los Angeles-bound Amtrak train at Eugene, Ore., on Friday night and sat next to Avalos.
"He noticed that the suspect was nervous, pacing and walking up and down the stairs, and the victim changed seats while the suspect was downstairs," Gravenkamp said.
After dozing off, Marroquin awoke while being stabbed in the back.
Then, Avalos allegedly ran to a door and jumped from the train as it was moving at about 40 mph through mountains between Klamath Falls and Dunsmuir.
Marroquin pulled the emergency stop lever, and conductors summoned deputies as Amtrak engineers backed up about 1.5 miles to a Klamath Falls National Forest campground, where paramedics could reach it.
As Marroquin was rushed 40 miles to a Klamath Falls hospital, three deputies with a search dog searched the train cars and found Avalos' ticket, which showed he was riding from Vancouver, Wash., to Oxnard. Gravenkamp said they also found a loaded handgun, ammunition, a digital scale and marijuana in the backpack that Avalos left on the train, but did not find the stabbing weapon.
"Deputies are familiar with the area, and they concentrated on looking along the tracks," the spokeswoman said. As they walked along the tracks, they heard a cough, spotted a bonfire and confronted the suspect.
Avalos told deputies he had broken his ankle, and he was operated on at Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka, then transferred to jail on Monday.
He was booked into Siskiyou County Jail with no bail possible on suspicion of attempted murder, violation of parole, and manufacture or possession of a dangerous weapon.
Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham near San Francisco said assaults like this on Amtrak trains "are very unusual" and that passengers' baggage is searched on a random basis at train stations, and onboard the trains, nationwide.
Service on the Coast Starlight between Oregon and California resumed May 7 after a five-month suspension because of a massive rock slide that damaged the tracks in southern Oregon, Graham said. The daily trains originate in Seattle and Los Angeles and make 25 stops, including in Oxnard and Simi Valley.
Orbusmax ™ Northwest News - 'Around The World In 80K'
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From the first posted article:
Considering the recent beheading in Canada an a Greyhound bus, an attempted beheading on another bus, and this… I may consider alternatives to public transportation.
I don't recall hearing about this other incident, and a superficial news search only brings up articles and posts pertaining to that sickening Greyhound bus beheading in Canada.
Hmmm... I wonder if resident is synonymous with citizen in this case? Probably not.
Did they ever decide why that happened (the beheading)? It seems like that story just fell off the radar, and like you, I don’t recall hearing about the other one.
As for Amtrak, I love to take the train, but I always get a sleeper, I don’t feel comfortable sleeping with strangers. This story is one good reason not to. And I don’t recall EVER having my bags searched.
susie
WHY DIDN’T AMTRAK RIDING PLUGS BIDEN STOP THIS!
I would imagine that we'll never know, as identifying a violent criminal as being an illegal border-jumper is usually verboten in the 'press' .....it's 'not relevant to the story' I suppose.
I heard nothing about this beheading attempt either.
It's true that the story fell off the main pages, and it appears that the reason for this is simply that the very slow wheels of justice are moving at their usual glacial speed. Here's an update from August 18.....I'm only posting the link because I seem to recall that this source is either banned or requires heavy editing at Free Republic:
Winnipeg man charged in bus beheading held in psychiatric facility
(amusingly, the defense lawyer's name is "Libman".)
and like you, I don’t recall hearing about the other one.
Thanks for that confirmation...I'm wondering if there's been an effort to suppress news about this second incident to avoid a panic?
As for Amtrak, I love to take the train, but I always get a sleeper, I don’t feel comfortable sleeping with strangers. This story is one good reason not to.
It's so sad that evil people spoil so very many of the joys in our lives. I too will be much more likely to take the stoatmobile in the future. Expecting other people to keep you safe is continually proven as being a poor plan.
And I don’t recall EVER having my bags searched.
They probably weren't.
I have no doubt that he'll blame President Bush for this and say that public transportation would be far safer under an Obama / Biden (puke) administration.
When asked for specifics on how it would be safer, he will change the subject and comment on the vivaciousness of a female passerby.
Wow, that’s even odder. He seems like he would be a normal person, altho I don’t think normal people go crazy and behead someone.
As for Amtrak, I know it’s not considered Freeperly, but I love the train. I don’t fly, and it’s much more comfortable for long trips than the car. I have been sorely disappointed that they have never opened the southern route since Katrina, as I would love to use it to travel from S. FL to TX to visit my kids (and even to NM to visit my elderly Dad). As it is, we try to drive back once a year, which is all the time my husband can manage from his job since the drive itself takes about a week (round trip).
susie
Strangers on a train Exchanging glances Wondering in the night What were the chances
Check this out... http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/08/21/canada-man-threatens-beheading-on-bus/
WOW....thank you so much for finding that, and "DUH" @ Me for not searching the very source that I originally posted from! (slapping furry stoat head)
A truly chilling event, made even more so by the fact that the "news media" apparently had little or no interest in reporting on it. One naturally wonders how many other similar incidents have occurred but were not reported.
Please see post #7 in this thread, which is the result of some excellent detective work by FReeper RC30.
From RC30's posted link:
(edit)
Andrew got up and told the bus driver what was happening. Despite the warning, the bus driver kept going.
(edit)
Twice during that time, the bus driver pulled over, telling the man he would have to get off the bus. When he refused, the driver kept going.
(edit)
“You’ll be on the news,” Josh recalled the man saying. “I’m going to cut your head off and throw it out the window.”
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A reminder that when you are on public transportation, you are imprisoned in a metal container with anyone who can find or steal enough money for a ticket, and you shouldn't count on the driver to do anything other than drive the vehicle.
That would be a proper message that would be sent with that punishment but I won't hold my breath waiting for 'true' justice in this matter.
Interviews with the perp's acquaintances and employer suggested that he was a normal-appearing person prior to him doing this.
As for Amtrak, I know it’s not considered Freeperly, but I love the train. I don’t fly, and it’s much more comfortable for long trips than the car. I have been sorely disappointed that they have never opened the southern route since Katrina, as I would love to use it to travel from S. FL to TX to visit my kids (and even to NM to visit my elderly Dad). As it is, we try to drive back once a year, which is all the time my husband can manage from his job since the drive itself takes about a week (round trip).
Train travel does indeed have a great charm and can be quite comfortable. I consider it most "Freeperly" to let people travel in whatever way they want without being made to feel guilty about their choice :-)
(yes, I'm waiting for jetpacks to become perfected and less expensive)
Strangers on a train Exchanging glances Wondering in the night What were the chances
Oh lawdy....prophetic as usual :-)
Just a guess, but I'm thinking that in his youth before the truckloads of cash and the subsequent diminished interest in public transportation, ol' blue eyes would probably have carried some sort of 'protection' on a bus or train. He probably would also have stood up to protect others in danger...just my impression from some of his interviews and his music.
Jet packs might be fun! ;)
susie
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