Scotts Bluff County Attorney Doug Warner says the death of a Scottsbluff man who was struck by a train about 8:30 Saturday morning near a Scottsbluff crossing appears to be an apparent suicide.

Warner says 26-year old Lee Weber was walking on the tracks just east of the Avenue I crossing in west Scottsbluff when he was hit by an eastbound Burlington Northern coal train.

The engineer on the train told authorities Weber was walking toward the train with his hands up and stayed on the tracks despite the train’s whistle blowing. The engineer applied the brakes, but the train could not stop in time to avoid the accident.

Two Scottsbluff crossing…Avenue I and Railway…were closed for a time while a new crew was summoned to move the train to its destination.

Scottsbluff Police Capt. Brian Wasson says Weber’s family had contacted police Friday night because they were concerned about him, but that police were unable to contact him at his residence.

Weber’s death is at least the third suicide involving a train in the Twin Cities within the last year…one last June in Scottsbluff and one in November in Gering. Warner says authorities haven’t been able to find a reason for the increase in suicides involving trains.