BARRINGTON HILLS – A 78-year-old Barrington man has died from injuries he suffered when his vehicle was struck Sept. 27 by a train in Barrington Hills.
James A. Wagner died about 11 p.m. Saturday, nearly two weeks after a Metra train traveling northeast near Route 14 and Kelsey Road collided with his car, Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Christopher Covelli said.
Wagner died from multiple blunt force trauma injuries, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
The cause of the crash still is being investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Covelli said that the driver of the car was outside of the vehicle when the outbound train collided with the car. The victim subsequently was struck by his own car. The car had been about 100 feet southeast of the crossing when the train struck, which is not somewhere a vehicle should – or would – typically be, Covelli said.
“We are trying to figure out if he was attempting to cross in the wrong spot or disoriented driving down the railroad tracks,” Covelli said.
The crash caused delays on the Union Pacific Northwest line for several hours Sept. 27.
In April, a pedestrian died after being struck by a train at the same intersection. In August, a freight train also struck and killed a pedestrian at the Route 14 crossing.
Wagner is survived by his wife of 50 years, Barbara Jean, and three children – Leanne Mankus, J.D. Wagner and Laura Klecker, according to his obituary.
A visitation will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m., and the funeral service will start at 3:07 p.m. Sunday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 720 Dundee Ave., Barrington, according to his obituary. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Hillsdale College, 33 E. College St., Hillsdale, MI 49242.
