Person Hit By 2 Freight Trains In Joliet May Have Been Pushed: Report

JOLIET, IL — The death of a 60-year-old Joliet man who was struck and killed by two trains in the early morning hours of Wednesday remains under investigation, but a report suggests that the person may have been pushed into the tracks.

Metra Police are continuing their investigation into the death of Steven Spangler, who was identified by the Will County Coroner on Thursday and whom police said was struck by a freight train at 3:40 a.m. on Wednesday.

WJOL, citing sources, reported Thursday that Spangler may have been shoved onto the tracks before being hit by two oncoming freight trains. The coroner said on Thursday that the final cause and manner of Spangler's death will be determined at a later date pending further investigation.

The radio station reported that there may have been an altercation at the Gateway Transportation Center in Joliet that led to Spangler being shoved onto the tracks.

Metra spokesman Michael Gillis told Patch on Thursday that the incident remains under investigation. When asked about the WJOL report about the victim being shoved, Gillis said he cannot comment on that piece of information. Gillis said he has no timeline for when more information could become available.

The incident took place near the train overpass on Eastern Avenue near 90 E. Jefferson St. in Joliet and shut down Metra service on the Heritage Corridor and Rock Island lines for several hours. Police said that the person was pronounced dead at the scene after the person was hit by one freight train and then by a second train that could not slow down in time to avoid hitting the person who was identified on Thursday as being the Joliet man.