An apparently suicidal man parked his Jeep on train tracks only to change his mind at the last minute, leaving the SUV on the tracks. This set up a chain-reaction causing train derailment, killing at least 10 and injuring another 200.
It's sad that someone would do this. Even if he'd died, he'd have taken others with him, and at the very least it would be traumatising to be involved in a train wreck where the driver of the vehicle was killed. But he didn't die, and instead, several other innocent victims did. They've got him in custody on suicide watch, and it looks like he'll be charged with manslaughter rather than murder due to his apparent state of mind.
It's scary to think that so much could be changed in a moment due to one person's choice. My thoughts are with the victims and their families, and the man and his family as well, because despite the fact that we make our own choices, mental illness (and drug use, which apparently was something he had done, counts in addition to the depression)--at least when it isn't treated appropriately or is resistant to treatment--can rob individuals and their families of so much, and ultimately, affect a much wider group of people. Don't get me wrong--lots of people dealing with mental illness would never consider doing what he did, or harming either themselves or others. But when I see cases like this, it always makes me hyperaware of how an individual can be both a perpetrator and victim at the same time. It's not an excuse. It's just sad.
UPDATE: They've filed murder charges in this case. They do include a special circumstance that could make him eligible, if convicted, for the death penalty, but a final decision for whether to pursue that has not been made. Additionally, the death toll is now 11.
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