
The family of a 41-year-old man who was killed when his dump truck was struck by a Metra train in Hainesville says he was a “beloved” father of three children.
An autopsy performed Tuesday showed Jesus Castrejon, 41, of Wheeling, died as a result of blunt force injuries from a vehicle crash, according to Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton.
The Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District and other emergency crews responded to the area south of Route 120 and Hainesville Road in Hainesville for a report of a train crash.
Metra Director of Communications Michael Gillis told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the incident happened just after 7 a.m. Monday.
Metra Milwaukee District North Train #2116 was inbound to Chicago when it struck a dump truck in the crossing at Hainesville Road.
Castrejon, who was driving the truck, was pronounced dead at the scene, Gillis and the coroner’s office said.
A female passenger on the train was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.
The woman’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
The first car of the train derailed but was still upright after the incident. Approximately 40 passengers were on the train.
The dump truck was split in half during the crash and pushed past the crossing where it came to a rest on the north side of the tracks east of Hainesville Road.
Gillis said there was no train service north of the accident scene and service on the line south of the scene was disrupted.
Investigators and crews remained on the scene for much of the day Monday to investigate the incident and rerail the derailed train car.
Trains were cleared to resume service from Grayslake through Fox Lake just after 5 p.m. Monday.
The crossing where the crash occurred is reportedly a private crossing and has no gates or flashing lights.
Aurora resident Kyle Miller, Castrejon’s brother-in-law, said Castrejon was a “beloved son, father, brother, uncle and friend.”
Castrejon leaves behind three daughters ages 4, 5 and 18.
Miller created a GoFundMe account to help raise money for the funeral and other associated costs.
The fund has raised almost $5,000 in less than a day. “He will be greatly missed,” Miller said.
The crash remains under investigation by the Metra Police Department.