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On November 25, 2022 the Lane County Sheriff’s Office received information that an adult male had been struck by a train along the Union Pacific rail line by Salmon Creek Rd. in Oakridge. Oregon State Troopers were first to arrive on scene and attempted life-saving efforts including CPR. However, the male did not survive.
The involved male was identified as 57-year-old Derek Lee Berling of Oakridge.
Preliminary investigation indicates that Berling was running westbound along the railroad tracks prior to being struck. He was reportedly wearing headphones and did not respond when train operators sounded a horn multiple times. Despite conducting an emergency stop, train operators were unable to stop the train in time to avoid a collision.