Juan Manuel Álvarez
Encyclopedia
Juan Manuel Álvarez a laborer from Compton, California
, is a California
n convicted of causing the January 26, 2005, Glendale train crash
, a collision between a passenger train
, another passenger train, a freight train, and a car
in Glendale, California
(a suburb
of Los Angeles
). He parked his gasoline-soaked sport-utility vehicle on the tracks and waited for a southbound Metrolink commuter train. At the approach of the train, allegedly unable to move his vehicle from the tracks, he exited, apparently abandoning a suicide attempt, and observed the train colliding with his SUV (causing the train to derail) from a safe distance. The derailed train then hit a Union Pacific Railroad
freight train parked on a siding, as well as a northbound Metrolink train on the third track. The collision left 11 people dead and nearly 200 injured.
Alvarez was allegedly suicidal
long before the incident occurred. According to some reports, he had attempted suicide previously. In addition, he was a known methamphetamine addict, prone to delusional behavior. At the time of the train crash, Alvarez, the father of two young children, was experiencing marital difficulties.
Police initially believed that Alvarez decided to kill himself that day, but that he changed his mind immediately before the train hit his vehicle, jumping out of the car and observing as the collision took place. He was charged with, and subsequently convicted of, 11 counts of murder
with "special circumstances". Police say following investigations indicate Alvarez may have intended to cause the crash without committing suicide
. Authorities filed additional charges against him for murder with intent.
Prosecutors sought the death penalty for his crimes under a seldom-used law making train wrecking, causing a person's death, a capital offense. This 1873 law was created to prosecute Old West train robbers who were known to blow up the tracks to rob a train.
On June 26, 2008, Alvarez was found guilty of 11 counts of first degree murder with special circumstances and one count of arson related to the incident. He was acquitted of the train wrecking charge.
On July 7, 2008, the hearing for sentencing for Juan Manuel Álvarez started.
On July 15, 2008, the jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
On August 20, 2008, Alvarez was sentenced to 11 consecutive life sentences.
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, is a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n convicted of causing the January 26, 2005, Glendale train crash
Glendale train crash
The 2005 Glendale train crash is the second deadliest incident in the history of Metrolink, the commuter railroad in the Los Angeles, California, area. It was overtaken as the deadliest by the 2008 Chatsworth train collision.On January 26, 2005, at 6:03 a.m...
, a collision between a passenger train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
, another passenger train, a freight train, and a car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
(a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
). He parked his gasoline-soaked sport-utility vehicle on the tracks and waited for a southbound Metrolink commuter train. At the approach of the train, allegedly unable to move his vehicle from the tracks, he exited, apparently abandoning a suicide attempt, and observed the train colliding with his SUV (causing the train to derail) from a safe distance. The derailed train then hit a Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
freight train parked on a siding, as well as a northbound Metrolink train on the third track. The collision left 11 people dead and nearly 200 injured.
Alvarez was allegedly suicidal
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
long before the incident occurred. According to some reports, he had attempted suicide previously. In addition, he was a known methamphetamine addict, prone to delusional behavior. At the time of the train crash, Alvarez, the father of two young children, was experiencing marital difficulties.
Police initially believed that Alvarez decided to kill himself that day, but that he changed his mind immediately before the train hit his vehicle, jumping out of the car and observing as the collision took place. He was charged with, and subsequently convicted of, 11 counts of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
with "special circumstances". Police say following investigations indicate Alvarez may have intended to cause the crash without committing suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Authorities filed additional charges against him for murder with intent.
Prosecutors sought the death penalty for his crimes under a seldom-used law making train wrecking, causing a person's death, a capital offense. This 1873 law was created to prosecute Old West train robbers who were known to blow up the tracks to rob a train.
On June 26, 2008, Alvarez was found guilty of 11 counts of first degree murder with special circumstances and one count of arson related to the incident. He was acquitted of the train wrecking charge.
On July 7, 2008, the hearing for sentencing for Juan Manuel Álvarez started.
On July 15, 2008, the jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
On August 20, 2008, Alvarez was sentenced to 11 consecutive life sentences.