Pennsylvania Widow Blames Railroad Trestle for Husband’s Death

A northeastern Pennsylvania woman is suing over a railroad trestle she contends is unsafe and led to her husband’s death on a dirt bike last year.

Courtney Cruz contends her 29-year-old husband, Daniel, died when his bike fell through a gap in the railroad ties on the trestle in Wilkes-Barre. Police were trying to stop Cruz for riding the motorcycle on city streets at the time and he pulled onto the trestle to avoid them.

Cruz claims Luzerne County officials should have known the trestle was dangerous because an all-terrain vehicle rider fell was injured by the same hole in May 2014. The lawsuit doesn’t say whey Cruz wouldn’t have known about the same hole, too.

An attorney for the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority says the matter’s been referred to its insurance company.