Little Rock, Arkansas – A late-night train accident in Pine Bluff left a man seriously injured Thursday after he was struck while reportedly walking along railroad tracks, according to a police report released by the Pine Bluff Police Department.
Authorities said the incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. near the 1800 block of Sturgis Road. The man, identified as 40-year-old William Green III, was hit by a passing freight train while he was on the tracks. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene following reports of the collision.
Investigators later spoke with the train’s engineer and conductor, who were inside the cab at the time of the incident. According to the report, the crew initially struggled to understand what they were seeing ahead of the train in the darkness.
They told officers that what they first saw was what they thought was an animal, but when they realized it was a human, they “blew [the horn] and applied the e-brake but heard Green hit the cattle guard at the front of the engine.”
Despite the crew’s effort to slow the train, stopping such a massive vehicle in a short distance was nearly impossible. The report indicates the freight train consisted of roughly 100 cars and was traveling between 20 and 30 miles per hour at the time of the collision. Altogether, the train weighed approximately 11,694 tons, a size and mass that makes emergency stops extremely difficult even when the brakes are engaged immediately.
Police officers arriving at the scene found Green alive and able to communicate. According to the report, he was conscious and responsive when first responders reached him. He provided officers with his name and date of birth before being transported for medical treatment.
Paramedics rushed him by ambulance to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, where medical staff began treating his injuries. Due to the seriousness of his condition, he was later transferred by helicopter to UAMS Medical Center for further care.
Officials have not yet released additional details about the extent of his injuries. Medical staff at UAMS have been contacted for an update on Green’s condition, but no new information has been made public.
Train-related incidents often highlight the dangers of being near active railroad tracks, especially at night when visibility is limited. Even when train crews react quickly and activate warning horns or emergency brakes, the immense weight and momentum of freight trains make it extremely difficult to avoid collisions.
Authorities have not said why Green was walking on the tracks at the time of the incident. The circumstances surrounding how he came to be in the path of the train remain under review as investigators continue gathering information.
Police say the situation remains an active case. Additional updates may be released if officials or medical personnel provide more details about Green’s condition in the coming days.
