Award Of $8 Million In Rail Crossing Fatality

A jury awarded $8 million to the family of a man killed in a truck-train accident at a crossing that had no flashing lights or automatic gates.

Conrail was ordered Friday to pay the family of Bernard Garrett of London compensatory damages of $2 million and punitive damages of $6 million.

Paul Scott, the family’s attorney, said the punitive damage award was one of the largest ever levied against a railroad.

The crash occurred on May 6, 1994, at a crossing now scheduled to be upgraded with gates and lights. Garrett, 56, was a passenger in a truck driven by a co-worker.