On Wednesday, April 5th, 2023, at 8:06 pm, the Turlock Police Department, Turlock Fire Department, and American Medical Response were dispatched to a reported vehicle collision with injuries at the intersection of E Main St and N First St, Turlock, after a train had struck a bicyclist.
The first arriving officer found a man later identified as Jose Rodriguez, 56, of Turlock, on the ground near his bicycle unresponsive without a pulse. He began CPR until being relieved by paramedics and firefighters, who ultimately transported Rodriguez to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Officers began investigating and determined that Rodriguez had been riding his bicycle across the railroad tracks while the crossing arms were down, when he was struck by the northbound Union Pacific freight train.
The train was able to stop about a quarter of a mile north of where the collision occurred, blocking all railroad crossings between E Olive Ave and E F St for several hours.
