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Board: Alcohol played role in LIRR gap death

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

(New York - WABC, November 20, 2006) (WABC) -- A New York state panel released its findings in the death of a teenager who fell through a platform gap on the Long Island Railroad, saying that she had been drinking and pulled away from people trying to help her.

Natalie Smead, an 18-year-old tourist from Northfield, Minnesota, died after falling through the gap between an LIRR train and a Woodside station platform back on August 5th while on her way to a Dave Matthews Band concert in New York City.

But the Public Transportation Safety Board said the rail line met government safety standards and said the gap of just under 8 inches was "reasonably acceptable."

Today's report said the 18-year-old put herself in the path of an oncoming train and noted her blood alcohol level of 0.23 is associated with severe impairment. The report also said that Smead and her friends had been drinking before and during the trip from Merrick and that after she fell into the gap, Smead was told to stay put.

The report goes on to say that Smead's cousin took her hand, but the 18-year-old pulled away and crawled under the platform to another track where she was later hit.

The board called Smead's actions the most probable cause of the accident, with alcohol a contributing factor.

New York state Transportation Commissioner Thomas Madison: "This was certainly a tragic and terrible accident and our heartfelt condolences go out to Ms. Smead's family ... but there's also a level of personal responsibility when you ride public transportation."

Robert Sullivan, a lawyer for Smead's family, said the report was a "cover up" filled with omissions to protect the LIRR, and said the report fails to make clear the train doors closed on Smead twice, which could have jostled her. And he suggested the gap may have been as wide as 13 inches.

Sullivan: "To try to lay it all on alcohol is nonsense."

LIRR officials say they have been closing the gaps at eight different stations. They've been moving tracks to bring them closer to the platform. They've also been adding wooden filler strips along the edge of platforms. And last week they announced platform conductors would have more control over the trains and better radio communication with the train conductors.

Officials say investigators have been looking for "patterns of similarities" in related accidents over a two year period, during that time, there were 115 gap related accidents on the LIRR.

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