Published: March 08, 2009 11:37 pm      

In brief: Rail-sitter accused of forcing train to stop

ROCKWOOD — A man faces charges after he allegedly sat on railroad tracks and forced a train to stop.

State police said 26-year-old Travis Pollock of Rockwood sat on the tracks at Main and Market streets at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. An approaching train “needed to apply its emergency brakes” to avoid hitting the suspect, police said.

Pollock was arrested on charges including public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, police said.

Jerome man hurt in crash

SOMERSET – A Jerome man suffered “major injury” in a one-vehicle accident on Route 601 in Jenner Township, state police said. Thomas Ball, 60, was traveling north early Friday when he lost control of his Ford Ranger and slid off the road, police said. The truck hit a guide rail, rolled over and slid on its roof for about 50 feet.

Ball was taken to Johnstown’s Memorial Medical Center, where he was listed in serious condition Sunday evening.

Car-pedestrian accident investigated

Johnstown police investigated a car-pedestrian accident Sunday night near 3 Reds Tavern in the city’s Hornerstown neighborhood.

Police said the pedestrian, a man whose name was not released, suffered a head injury and was taken to Memorial Medical Center. His condition could not immediately be determined, but emergency responders initially were summoned for a report of an unconscious person.

It is unlikely that charges will be filed against the driver, city Officer Mark Westrick said.

“At this time, there’s no reason for us to believe the driver contributed to the accident,” he said.

The incident was reported just after 8 p.m. in the 600 block of Horner Street.