UPDATE: 13 Year Old Boy Dead after being Struck by Train
He was struck while walking on the tracks
(GERVAIS, Ore) — The Marion Co. Sheriff's Office has confirmed that a 13 year old boy was struck and killed by a passenger train tonight near Gervais.
The facts are few at this time, but the the train was South bound traveling through Gervais about 7:50 this evening.
Some where around the area of 4th Street and Alder Street the boy was struck by the train while walking on the tracks.
A neighbor told Salem News Journal "I hope it is not another kid".
Not long ago a teenaged girl died on those same tracks in Gervais.
Deputies continue to investigate and make family notifications.
We will bring you more on this as soon as it becomes available.
UPDATE: The 13 year old boy involved in last night's train accident has been identified as Juan Carlos Robles-Melara.
He resided in Woodburn and attended French Prairie Middle School.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office says that it appears Juan is a high functioning child with autism who left school on his own after soccer practice when he was supposed to wait for his mother to pick him up.
Once his mother arrived and did not find Juan, the family began looking for him and eventually called the Woodburn Police Department to make a report.
While Woodburn Police was taking the report from the family, they heard of the train versus pedestrian accident.
Shortly after the accident, it was confirmed to be Juan based on a clothing description and school identification he had in his backpack.
Video From the Scene by: Salem News Journals Jerry Freeman.
