911 Tapes Reveal Horror Of Train Accident, Victim Identified
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - A Colorado State University student suffered horrific injuries after apparently attempting to jump aboard a moving freight train. On Tuesday authorities released a 911 call from a former emergency medical technician who was passing by as the incident happened.
The accident happened just after 1 p.m. on Monday in Longmont.
Police said the 17-year-old victim, identified as Anna Beninati, along with her friends, three males ages 17 to 20, were in Denver earlier Monday. They were later dropped off in Longmont to try and catch the train so they could get to Fort Collins. Beninati apparently tried to hop onto the train as it moved northbound about 18 mph on the tracks, but in her attempt she slipped and fell underneath the train causing it to run over her legs, which were severed at the knee.
Former EMT Nicole Crowley and Nurse Kathy Poiry happened to be waiting for the train in their separate vehicles when the accident happened. They jumped to action when they realized Beninati went under the train. Crowley immediately called 911.
"Don't move her, don't move her," Crowley can be heard saying to others at the scene on the 911 call.
911 Dispatch: "Longmont 911, what's the address of your emergency?"
Crowley: "Oh my God. I'm on 3rd Avenue at the railroad tracks. Somebody just tried to jump on the train and severed her legs."
911 Dispatch: "You can probably do more help than anyone else there if you're an EMT, okay? Let me know when you're with her."
Crowley: "Hang on. Hang on."
911 Dispatch: "They're on the way, they've been on the way since you've called."
911 Dispatch: "Do not tourniquet, do not tourniquet."
Crowley: "She's awake."
911 Dispatch: "Is she breathing?"
Crowley: "She's very, very, very pale … she's alert, she's talking. Now she's trying … don't move! Don't move! Fire ... there's two fires here now."
911 Dispatch: "Okay, I'll let you go then. You talk to them, okay?"
Poiry said as she tried to hold in the blood Beninati was alert and talking, asking if she was going to live.
"I just kept trying to keep her with us. Like, once she closed her eyes and I just yelled at her to open her eyes and she did and she was awake and talking the whole entire time," Poiry said.
"All I did was I just got down next to her and I said, 'Hi, what's your name? How old are you? Where are you from?' I was trying to keep her alert and talking," Crowley told CBS4's Mike Hooker over the phone. "I just knew if we could control the bleeding maybe she'd stay alert and she'd stay with us and we could keep just enough blood in her body so she could survive."
Police said one of the young men, who is from Broomfield, did manage to get on board the train, but they have not been able to find him. Another one of the victim's friends also was able to board the train, but the 17-year-old suffered minor injuries after he quickly jumped off. His identity isn't being released because he is a minor. He and another friend, identified as Charles Hamilton, 25, of Gillette, Wyo., who did not board the train, were ticketed for trespassing.
Beninati was airlifted to Denver Health Medical Center for treatment.
Beninati's parents live in Sandy, Utah. Beninati was listed in serious condition Tuesday evening.
"From the first responders, to the hospitals both in Longmont and Denver, we are thankful to everyone who came to her rescue," Beninati's family said in a released statement. "We are especially grateful to several bystanders who provided aid for our daughter at the scene."
The three males are not CSU students.
Police said alcohol and drugs weren't involved.
