NTSB Reports Train Was Speeding Before Crash
The NTSB is reporting the engineer of the Amtrak train that crashed in Philadelphia last night applied the emergency brake seconds before it crashed. Investigators also found the Northeast Regional train 188 was going more than twice as fast as regulations allow, but aren't sure why. At the time of the derailment, the train appears to have been going 106 mph in an area where speeds are not supposed to exceed 50 mph. The tracks have been turned back over to Amtrak to allow for repairs to be made while recorders are being taken to labs in Washington, D.C., for further examination.
Seven people, including a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman, have been confirmed dead in the crash, with more than 200 injured. A Naval Academy spokesman said the midshipman, identified as 20-year-old Justin Zemser from Far Rockaway, N.Y., was on leave and heading home when the derailment occurred. Grief counselors are available on campus for midshipmen, faculty and staff.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake said she's saddened by the derailment of the train, which made a stop in Baltimore’s Penn Station just before 8:00 p.m. last night. "My heart aches for the passengers of Amtrak train 188,” she said in a statement, adding that Amtrak service is a way of life for many Baltimore residents, as well as visitors across the northeast who commute to, from and through the city every day.
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin expressed confidence that the NTSB will find the cause of the derailment. In a statement issued today, Cardin called for "investing in safer cars and positive train control as well as maintaining and improving the curves of the track to handle higher speeds."
Amtrak passengers were stranded up and down the East Coast today with some of the heaviest delays starting at Washington's Union Station. Trains are running today between Washington and Philadelphia but on a modified schedule, with many delays being reported. Further north, Amtrak service between Philadelphia and New York has been canceled.
Gray Lawyers See Indictments Coming Soon
Lawyers defending six officers charged in the Freddie Gray case say indictments are likely to be announced within the next two weeks. The attorneys have requested that a stenographer transcribe the grand jury hearings or that an audio recording be made. The Baltimore Sun reported that an indictment is likely before the scheduled May 27 preliminary hearing in the case.
Baltimore Police Handling Of Injured Suspects Questioned
New documents show that Baltimore police have problems handling injured suspects. Records obtained by the Baltimore Sun show that about 2,600 suspects from June of 2012 to last month were brought in by officer with what appeared to be fractures, head wounds and severe swelling. The Sun says the suspects were taken to the hospital by the police only after they were turned away by central booking.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said his department is making progress in stopping the abuse, but that it will take a long time to change 30 years of Baltimore police history. He added that nearly 50 Baltimore police employees have been fired for misconduct in the past two years.
Teens Charged As Adults In Beating Of Dundalk Man
Five teens are now facing charges as adults in the April beating of a Dundalk man. Baltimore County police announced additional arrests Tuesday in the attack that left Rick Fletcher with serious injuries, including bleeding on the brain. Authorities say the 61-year-old reportedly tried to break up a fight on his street and the teens began to assault him. In addition to the five teens charged in the case, police say an arrest warrant has been issued for a 20-year-old man who is in custody in Baltimore City on unrelated charges.
Hogan Signs Rain Tax Repeal
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed more than 300 bills, including one doing away with the so-called "rain tax," into law yesterday. Under the measure, local jurisdictions must still find a way to pay for stormwater management projects. Hogan also signed legislation increasing the tax break on military retirement income from $5,000 to $10,000, and a measure boosting the speed limit on some state highways from 65 to 70 miles-per-hour.
Supporters Of Red Line Rally For State Funding
Supporters of the Red Line to connect Woodlawn to East Baltimore rallied at War Memorial Plaza Tuesday. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said the recent unrest in the city shows that Baltimore needs ways to connect residents with jobs and opportunities. The mayor said the city, federal government and Baltimore County have committed to funding and all that's missing is the state's contribution.
Baltimore Landfill Shut Down Tuesday For FBI Investigation
Baltimore's Hawkins Point landfill was shut down Tuesday due to a federal investigation. According to the Baltimore Sun, FBI spokeswoman Amy Thoreson confirmed that the agency was at the dump on Quarantine Road, but she would not comment on the reason. The Department of Public Works has referred all questions to the FBI. The DPW said the landfill will be open today.
Obama: Urban Violence Prompts Awareness Of Inequality, Poverty
President Obama said violence in places like Baltimore and Ferguson, Mo., has prompted a growing awareness of inequality. During a forum on poverty at Georgetown University, the President said government can make a difference and help lessen poverty. He warned against cynicism and said government can help provide more "ladders of opportunity" to young people, but that it requires "political will and communal will." He also noted that the "best anti-poverty program is a job."
Harriet Tubman Wins Poll To Appear On $20 Bill
If respondents to an online poll had their way, Maryland humanitarian Harriet Tubman could soon replace President Andrew Jackson on the $20 dollar bill. The escaped slave and abolitionist behind the Underground Railroad won an online poll yesterday with more than 118,000 votes. The "Women on 20s" group wants to replace Jackson on the bill with a woman in part because of Jackson's role in the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Other candidates for the poll included Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks and Cherokee chief Wilma Mankiller. The group hopes to get Tubman on the $20 dollar bill by 2020, the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.
