North Brunswick Teen Hit, Killed By Amtrak Train Friday

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Friday morning, Patch reported that someone was hit and killed by an Amtrak train in Middlesex County, and this week, that person has been identified as a beloved North Brunswick High School student, who was also a star on the school's track team.

The 17-year-old student was struck at 10:22 a.m. Friday on the tracks about 12 miles west of the Metropark station, according to an Amtrak spokesperson. He was struck by Amtrak train #141 from Springfield, Massachusetts en route to Washington, D.C. Amtrak is still investigating how the fatality occurred.

The student would have started his senior year in September. He was a standout on North Brunswick's varsity track and field team, particularly the Shuttle Hurdle Relay team, which the GMC championship this year. Varsity North Brunswick track coach John Viotto said he planned on making him captain this fall.

"It's very, very tragic," Coach Viotto told MyCentralJersey.com. "He was just a great kid — full of positive energy. He was the kid on the team everyone looked up to, especially when competition got tough and things got tight. The best character trait of his was definitely his leadership ... He was the type of kid that when the season ended, his season hadn't ended. He was at the track every single day this summer — working out and getting better. He was one of the best 110 meter and 400 meter hurdlers in the county."

North Brunswick High School held a vigil for the teen Monday night in the football stadium. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help pay his funeral costs.

"He is the type of kid who wouldn't want us to be sad and crying about what happened," Viotto told MyCentralJersey. "He would want us to remember the positive things."

Related: Trespasser Struck By Amtrak Train Friday Morning: Authorities