A westbound Amtrak train that fatally struck a 30-year-old Indianapolis man near the Cowley Road crossing in Riverside on July 10 likely did so accidentally, the village’s director of public safety has told the Landmark.

“We’re still conducting our investigation and we’re awaiting video from the train,” said Director of Public Safety Matthew Buckley. “But it appears it was an accident.”

According to Buckley, the victim was walking westbound along the north edge of the railroad ties.

Another train was passing at the same time, said Buckley, which may have played a role in the victim being unaware of the approaching California Zephyr train, which left Chicago’s Union Station at 2 p.m. and was headed westbound to San Francisco with 202 passengers.

Riverside emergency personnel responded to the railroad line about 2:20 p.m. and located the victim west of the Cowley Road grade crossing. Paramedics transported him to Loyola University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 2:52 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Amtrak train was delayed about two hours while the rail carrier replaced the crew, which is common after such incidents. Other train traffic on the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe rail line resumed about 3:30 p.m.

Catalytic converter thefts

Brookfield police responded to the Enterprise car rental business at 9116 Ogden Ave. on the morning of July 7 after an employee called to report that the catalytic converter had been sawn off one the company’s vehicles, a 2020 Mitsubishi, which was parked overnight in the 4000 block of Elm Avenue.

A resident of the 3600 block of Grand Boulevard called police about 5:30 a.m. on July 8 to report that the catalytic converter had just been stolen from a 2003 Honda CR-V, which was parked on the street.

The caller’s son reportedly observed the theft, saying a masked man wearing all back used an orange jack as well as a drill or saw during the incident. The man worked quickly and drove away in a gray sedan at a high rate of speed south on Grand Boulevard.

DUI crashes on 47th Street

Two people were hospitalized and a building sustained what police described as “major structural damage” as a result of a crash at the intersection of 47th Street and Eberly Avenue in Brookfield late on July 6.

According to police, Charles L. Smart, 42, of Romeoville, drove his 2015 Ford Fiesta through a stop sign while northbound on Eberly Avenue and struck a 2022 Mazda CX-5 driven by a 24-year-old Riverside woman who was eastbound on 47th Street, attempting to turn left onto northbound Eberly Avenue.

Smart lost control of his car, which crashed into the northwest corner of Don’s 47th Street Garage, 9548 47th St., causing “significant” damage. Both drivers were injured and were taken by paramedics to LaGrange Hospital for treatment.

Police reported that Smart’s blood-alcohol content was approximately three times the legal limit of .08. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charging Smart with felony driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also charged with driving on a revoked license, operating an uninsured vehicle and other traffic offenses.

A 21-year-old Stickney woman faces DUI charges after her Chevy Malibu collided with a red Hyundai while trying to change lanes as she drove westbound in the 9500 block of 47th Street, Brookfield, on July 8 about 10:40 p.m.

According to police, the woman’s blood-alcohol content was .268, which is more than three times the limit of .08. They also reported locating open mixed cocktail cans inside the vehicle as well as a vape pen containing THC oil.

In addition to DUI, police charged the woman with possession of cannabis and open alcohol, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, driving on a sidewalk, damage to village property and operating an uninsured vehicle.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, July 3-10, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

— Compiled by Bob Uphues