Blog Post

Train-Car Crash Victim's Family Files A Lawsuit Against Kern County


January 07, 2008
Topic: Train Accidents

On November 29, 2006, Rafael Marin Carrillo was killed when a train hit his car at the tracks near Kratzmeyer Road and Santa Fe Way in Bakersfield, California. Next week, a lawsuit filed by Christina Marin and Carrillo's children goes to hearings. The lawsuit has been filed against the Burlington Santa Fe Railway, the county of Kern and the state of California.

The lawsuit alleges that the intersection was dangerous because crossing bars that would have prevented cars from driving over the tracks when a train was nearby were not in place.

Even more disturbing, the lawsuit alleges, among other things, that the railroad, county and state governments knew that there was a problem that needed to be fixed and yet, they chose to "point fingers" and assign responsibility to each other, without fixing the problem. They did this to avoid or shift the cost of fixing the problem, which, as it all too frequently does, lead to tragic consequences.

Carrillo wasn't the first person to be killed at the intersection. On February 17, 2005, 79-year-old Mary Young Williams was killed at the exact same spot.

It appears Kern County train officials are making attempts to rectify the situation. In order to prevent future accidents a median has been added to the intersection courtesy of the county, and the railroad company installed the much-needed crossing arms.

Too bad it was a little late for Rafael Carrillo and Mary Young Williams.

If you or a loved-one has been injured or killed in a train accident, you need an experienced California personal injury attorney to represent you. Contact The Reeves Law Group immediately for a free consultation.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.