Judge reinstates criminal charges in fatal Amtrak crash in Philadelphia
A Pennsylvania judge reinstated criminal charges Tuesday against the Amtrak engineer involved in the fatal derailment in Philadelphia in 2015.
Brandon Bostian, 34, was the engineer of a train going twice the 50 mph speed limit, killing eight passengers and injuring hundreds.
Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Lewis reinstated charges of eight misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, 246 misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and one felony count of causing catastrophe against Bostian in connection with the May 12, 2015, derailment.
More about the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia:
Investigators: Amtrak engineer distracted in fatal crash
Amtrak engineer describes 'dream-like' memories, not details of the fatal crash
Amtrak agrees to pay $265M in fatal Philadelphia crash
The National Transportation Safety Board found the crash was caused when Bostian lost awareness of where he was on the route because he was distracted by radio chatter about an emergency situation with another train.
A previous judge, Thomas Gehret, threw out the criminal charges against Bostian in September, ruling that the evidence pointed to an accident rather than negligence. Prosecutors appealed.
“We’re pleased with the court’s ruling today,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “This is an important step in the legal process of this case. We will seek justice for every victim of the Amtrak train crash.”
Bostian sat stunned as the decision was announced, according to The Associated Press. He’s free on bail but must surrender his passport.
Bostian’s lawyer, Brian McMonagle, said the engineer’s speeding was a momentary lapse from a safety-conscious engineer who was briefly distracted.
The criminal complaint was filed against Bostian by relatives of Rachel Jacobs, 39, who was killed in the crash. Her husband Todd Waldman and her father John Jacobs charged that Bostian, an experienced engineer, recklessly accelerated the train to 106 mph in an 80 mph zone and then into a 50 mph curve.
Rachel Jacobs died from injuries in the crash, so her survivors argued that Bostian should be charged with involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person. In an usual case, prosecutors pressed their charges.
Amtrak and its insurers agreed in October 2016 to provide $265 million for the victims of the crash and their relatives.
Contributing: The Associated Press