Lacson, a student at Barrington High School, was killed in January while walking to school at a crossing on Hough Street that lacked pedestrian safety gates.According to the family’s attorneys, Lacson waited for a train to pass on that foggy morning but didn’t realize another train was approaching from the opposite direction. The lawsuit alleges negligence, pointing out that despite previous accidents involving pedestrians at the same crossing, no safety upgrades were made.
There had been previous incidents where pedestrians were struck by trains at the Hough Street crossing. The family hopes the lawsuit will encourage communities and railroad companies to install and manage pedestrian safety measures, including gates and warning systems," said Attorney Jim Pullos of Clifford Law Offices.A Union Pacific spokesperson expressed condolences to the Lacson family and emphasized that safety is a core value for the company.