
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 1, 1994                   TAG: 9410130007
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELLISTON                                 LENGTH: Short

TEEN HIT BY TRAIN WAS INTOXICATED

The teen-ager who died after being struck by a Norfolk Southern train last weekend was legally intoxicated, authorities said Wednesday.

Kenneth W. Johnson Jr., 17, of Hales Trailer Park died early Sunday from injuries he sustained after being struck by the train.

Johnson had a blood-alcohol content of 0.19 percent, according to hospital records received by the medical examiner's office and passed on to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. In Virginia, adults are presumed to be too drunk to drive if their blood-alcohol content is O.08 percent or more. Investigator Bob Fleet said the sheriff's office and the railroad are continuing a joint investigation.

Fleet said investigators have talked to many people as they try to sort out whether anyone was with Johnson either near the tracks or shortly before he went to the tracks.

Johnson was struck by the train Friday evening near Matz Oil Co. and milepost 276. Both of his legs were amputated, and he sustained head injuries.

The engineer told deputies he saw what he thought was trash spread on the tracks about 150 feet before the impact. The engineer "didn't realize that what appeared to be trash was a body," according to a deputy's report. The boy never moved as the train approached, the engineer said.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB