A teenager who died after being struck by a train in Sorrento Valley on Friday has been identified by his family.
NBC 7 spoke with the uncle of the teenager who identified the teen as Alex Segal and said they buried him this past weekend.
The fatal incident occurred last Friday when Segal, on a bicycle, crossed the train tracks and was struck by an oncoming train.
“After the northbound train passed through, a 17-year-old boy crossed the tracks on his bike, not realizing there was also a passing southbound train,” the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.
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The two other teens were not hurt.
Alex attended Torrey Pines High School and according to the school's website, was a member of the boy's junior varsity soccer team.
In an email to Torrey Pines families, principal Rob Coppo said:
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“I know we are all deeply saddened by this loss, and we send our condolences to the student’s family and friends. As you can imagine, the family involved in this tragic accident is going through an extremely difficult time right now. The family is asking that we respect their privacy at this time.”
"Bike and ebike accidents specifically cause some of the most common injuries Rady Children’s Hospital treats in the summer, said Matt Derkrikorian a Trauma Program Manager at Rady Children’s Hospital.
“The state of California has the highest fatalities in the United States,” said Nancy Sheehan-McCulloch an executive director with the California Operation Lifesaver.
McCulloch says this applies to everything from trespassing on the tracks to people crossing before it’s safe.
A memorial has been placed to honor the 17-year-old.
