Suffolk man killed when hit by train

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 2, 2002

Staff report

A Suffolk man died instantly after being struck by a train around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

Melvin Banks, 66, of the 100 block of South 4th Street was sitting on the tracks at the intersection of Capital Street and Railroad Avenue when he was hit, said Officer Michael E. Simpkins, spokesman for the Suffolk Police Department. Banks was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Bank’s death has been ruled an accident but police are still investigating the incident, Simpkins said.

Although Banks reportedly acknowledged the train and attempted to stand up when he saw it, he then appeared to sit back down in train’s path, Simpkins said.