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Park Ridge man, 23, critical after stepping onto tracks, turning back on train in Emerson

UPDATE: A 23-year-old Park Ridge man with a history of similar incidents walked onto the tracks near the Emerson train station, turned his back and was struck by a northbound NJ Transit train tonight, sources with direct knowledge of the incident told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.

Photo Credit: Cliffview Pilot File Photo

The man was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center after he “stepped into the path of the train and turned his back” just after 5 o’clock tonight, an NJ Transit spokeswoman said.

Although knocked out of his boots and gloves, he was still breathing when EMS workers got to him, an emergency responder told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.

The ambulance arrived at HUMC with a police escort about 40 minutes later, he said.

He was then put into an induced coma and was listed in critical condition, another responder told CVP.

“He was breathing but totally unresponsive,” he said.

Local police were bringing his father to the hospital just before 6 p.m.

Pascack Valley Line service from Emerson to Spring Valley was temporarily suspended.

NJ Transit Train #2119, with 50 passengers aboard, left Hoboken at 4:17 p.m. and was due in Spring Valley at 5:26 p.m.

Passengers were being taken the rest of the way by bus.

NJTransit police and Emerson firefighters joined borough police at the scene.

CLIFFVIEW PILOT, as a matter of policy, isn’t identifying the man. Authorities initially identified him as from Emerson, but emergency responders told CVP that he’s from Park Ridge.

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