Jessica Haley Obituary, Death; – The train operator who tragically lost her life after a NJ Transit River Line train collided with a fallen tree on Monday has been identified by her family’s attorney as a mother of three from Bucks County.
Jessica Haley was fatally injured in the incident that occurred in Mansfield Township, Burlington County, as confirmed by attorney Kila Baldwin from the Anapol Weiss firm in a statement provided to CBS News Philadelphia. Baldwin, representing Haley’s family, noted that the 41-year-old single mother had dedicated 20 years of service to Alstom, the contractor for NJ Transit.
“This incident should never have occurred, and we are committed to thoroughly investigating the circumstances to ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable. The family is understandably heartbroken and plans to pursue this matter to the fullest extent of the law to prevent anyone else from experiencing the same tragedy as Jessica,” Baldwin stated. When approached by CBS News Philadelphia, NJ Transit refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation.
As reported by New Jersey Transit, the train was en route south from Trenton when it struck a large tree trunk just north of Roebling Station shortly after 6 a.m. on October 14. Among the 42 individuals on board at the time of the collision, 23 sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the remaining passengers were evacuated from the scene via bus.
NJ Transit announced that bus services will continue to replace train operations between the Trenton Transit Center and Florence Station on Tuesday. Crews are actively engaged in track repairs and will conduct a thorough assessment of the area before resuming River Line service between these stations, as stated by the agency on X.
The National Transportation Safety Board is also conducting an investigation into the incident and anticipates releasing a preliminary report within approximately 30 days.
