Coroner identifies victims in train accident
The Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office has identified the two people killed in Tuesday’s train accident as 20-year-old Hannah Smith of Tuscarawas, and 21-year-old Jacob Bierwirth of Dover.
The Indian Valley School District Music Boosters have posted a tribute to Hannah Smith on their Facebook page, identifying her as a 2023 Indian Valley graduate, former Field Commander for the marching band and a kind and gentle friend to all.
Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Cambell said Jacob Bierwirth went to Tusky Valley Schools.
Campbell says the two were hit and killed by a train on the railroad trestle over the Tuscarawas River, state Route 212 and the Towpath Trail just east of Zoar and near Tusky Valley schools on Tuesday afternoon just after 4:30.
Campbell says the trestle is high and narrow, with only room for a train to go across. He says when the train engineer rounded a curve and saw the two on the trestle, it was too late for him to bring the long, heavy train to a stop, and the two young adults were unable to get off the trestle in time.
“It’s a terrible tragedy and accident for these families and something that they’ll probably never recover from,” Campbell said, “so we ask people, just think about the worst and be a little paranoid about that and stay off [railroad trestles]. I think these families would want to send that same message for other kids to just please stay off these.”
The bodies of the two individuals have been taken to Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies. The coroner, sheriff’s office and Wheeling-Lake Erie Railway Company are still investigating the incident. Responding agencies included the Bolivar, Mineral City and Strasburg fire departments.