Posted on 01/05/2014 6:27:09 AM PST by BenLurkin
DEL MAR (CBSLA.com) — A former mayor of Del Mar was killed on Friday when he was hit by an Amtrak train as he attempted to save his dog from the tracks.
The 75-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was reportedly walking his Labrador Retriever off-leash on a coastal bluff near the tracks, according to San Diego Sheriff’s deputies.
Witnesses suggest the dog may have been startled when the train’s engineer sounded his horn, which resulted in the animal panicking and running onto the tracks.
The man was struck by the train as he leaned over the tracks to grab the dog.
The dog was not hurt.
The man’s neighbors say that he was well-respected in the community, and that he had been mayor of Del Mar in the 1980s, in addition to being a political science professor at San Diego State University.
“He’s done this probably a million times, and for the train to come by like that, it’s tragic and we’re all kind of shocked because we’ve lived here for 20 years and (have) never seen anything like this,” a neighbor said.
And you’re quite right. It’s really not worth the risk. If the dogs absolutely, positively have to be off leash, we take them into the woods or on a trail where we can control the environment a little better. We’re fortunate in that we have access to places like that and a lot of city dog owners don’t. But we just prefer not to take the chance.
It’s worked for me forever—sorry you had a bad experience.
I live in a nice little town with nice people.
If there ever should be a vicious dog fight—which I doubt, I’m armed, and I can handle it.
You know, I saw your tagline after I posted and it occurs to me that you could handle it, at that. :)
I never had a bad experience, though. I wouldn’t put my dogs in an off-leash park to begin with. That said, I’m glad your dogs enjoy it.
What is a CDX?
The 75-year-old man, whose name has not been released,
This media stunt just hacks me off. How many 75 year old former mayors of Del Mar, CA would anyone know? They've ID'd the victim and yet REFUSE to name the victim because of some stupid journalist rule that says you can't announce the name of a dead person before the authorities do.
If you're going to report the story, either tell us his name or omit that he was a former mayor so that everyone with a 75-year-old family member in Del Mar can be worried about their loved one.
Or maybe it makes more sense to just hold off reporting this for a short time until the identity can be confirmed and then you can do an obit on the mayor.
Over in Iowa, some guy and his wife had car trouble or were lost, so they pulled over to the side of the road. Their dog got out of the car and was wandering in the roadway. The guy went to get the dog and he got run over by a couple of cars. The dog survived.
Many years ago my dad had a big, wonderful German Shepherd that was great around children and adults but when it came to other male dogs, he was alpha all the way. Zarek would not have played nice at a dog park........LOL!
So sad. Sorry such an awful thing happened. I’ve been 3rd party to such a nasty thing. But not a passenger train! How awful for all the passengers to have this on their minds.
Now I’ll start on my rambling.
Never, ever mess with trains. Especially for a dog. They are much, much bigger and powerful than mere semi-trailers, but you wouldn’t mess with that, would you?
Now, what is it with Labs? Why does everyone think they have a Lab so can let it run free? This infuriates me to no end. Loose dog? It’s a Lab.
No dog should be off lead, especially in reasonably populated areas.
I wish!
I totally agree with the trainer.
They are disasters waiting to happen. Especially since no one insists on serious discipline of their dogs in this society.
What makes you think he is the trainer? He’s just quoting a website.
He’s a trainer, not THE trainer from the story.
Yes, because so many kitties go out of control and mangle people to death.
Who said the gov must step in?
We have every right to air our observations of typical behavior by people, dogs, cats or crows. Has nothing to do with making rules.
The language being used is the same. Everyone is too inept so the natural next step is for someone else to step in.
Oh my!
Companion Dog Excellent.
AKC obedience level 2, basically. They do everything off-lead including retrieving dumbbells over jumps and the like.
What a shame. RIP.
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