This individual, believed to be a railroad C & T S RR employee, is being sought by the Conejos Sheriff's Office for assault on Valley Courier-Conejos County Citizen reporter Larry Winget who covered a minor vehicle accident between the Cumbres & Toltec railroad and a private vehicle Wednesday afternoon on Cumbres/La Manga Pass.

Minor traffic incident may lead to assault charge



STAFF REPORT

CUMBRES PASS — A minor traffic incident involving a Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad train and a flat bed trailer only resulted in a traffic ticket for the motor vehicle operator but may also result in assault and battery charges against an unidentified man who may work for the tourist railroad.

A C&T train collided with a trailer pulled by a pickup truck Wednesday afternoon at the summit of Cumbres Pass at the intersection of Colorado Highway 17 and the C&T tracks. Leo Schmitz, Executive Director of the C&T Commission said the train was returning to Chama, N.M. with passengers at the time of the incident. He said the passengers were taken by bus to Chama and no injuries were reported. He said it was his understanding that the locomotive, engine No. 484 may have sustained some minor damage.

When the Valley Courier - Conejos County Citizen reporter, Larry Winget, arrived at the scene, several people who appeared to be with the railroad, including a man wearing a C&T conductor’s cap, twice denied that any incident involving the train had taken place. However, when the engine crew was asked why they stopped the train the reply was, “Because we hit that trailer.”

As Winget was taking photos of the scene a man who had acted as a spokesman for the group approached him and shoved Winget’s camera into his face and punched him in the stomach. Winget left the scene to interview the CSP personnel. The train, the group of men and several cars left the scene shortly after the altercation.

The Colorado State Patrol said Mark Sandoval, driving a black four-door Ford pickup owned by his brother, Michael Sandoval, pulled a trailer loaded with a farm tractor into the path of the C&T train. Sandoval said the train did strike the right rear of his trailer.

CSP Technician Justin Suthers said there was medium to heavy fog in the area and that may have contributed to crash. The state patrol issued a citation to Sandoval for improperly driving on a mountain highway. Suthers said the railroad had the right-of-way at the intersection and was not required to stop. No ticket was issued to the railroad.

Suthers and CSP Trooper Brent Gilleland, who normally staff a CSP hazardous materials vehicle, were dispatched to the crash as the closest CSP unit available.

Sandoval said “When I first heard the whistle, I knew if I tried to stop I would be right in the middle of the tracks. I went on and the train hit the right rear of my trailer.”

Valley Courier Publisher Keith Cerny was made aware of the incident Wednesday night and directed Winget to file a criminal incident report with the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office.

Winget filed the report with CCSO Sgt. Naranjo Wednesday evening.