Man hit by train; two charged with manslaughter
By Shawntaye Hopkins and Cara Anthony
shopkins@herald-leader.comTwo Lexington men have been charged with manslaughter in the death of a man who was hit by a train in Lexington on Thursday, police said.
Steven D. Dykes, 45, and Charles M. Atkins, 49, were charged with first-degree manslaughter and tampering with evidence.
David Perry | Staff |Investigators climbed an embankment to railroad tracks where a man was struck by a train and died on Thursday, Aug. 7, in Lexington.
The victim wasn’t carrying identification when he was struck by an R.J. Corman Railroad Co. train about 11:15 a.m. at railroad tracks along Old Paris Road, off Paris Pike near Interstate 75, Lexington fire Maj. Ed Davis said.
Lexington Police Lt. James Curless said that conversations with people around the area led police to the two men, who are thought to be homeless. Curless also said there are several camps of homeless along the railroad track.
A police citation filed for Atkins said that he and Dykes assaulted the victim, causing his death, and then moved the victim’s body to the tracks, where it was run over. An arraignment was scheduled for Friday.
Atkins and Dykes both have a long histories of charges, most recently including trespassing, alcohol intoxication and begging, according to the Fayette County Detention Center.
The victim’s identity and cause of death would be released by the Fayette County coroner’s office, police said.
The train was traveling about 35 to 40 mph when the operator saw what he initially thought was a deer or some other animal lying on the tracks, Davis said. The engineer sounded the air horn several times, but the man never moved.
...
: $6.79 
