Authorities continue to probe an Oct. 9, 1995, derailment of an Amtrak train in Arizona and are offering a reward of up to $310,000.
Amtrak’s Sunset Limited passenger train derailed around 1:35 a.m. in a remote desert area about 70 miles southwest of Phoenix.
At the time, the train had 258 passengers on board. One Amtrak employee was killed, and 12 others were seriously injured; another 100 passengers suffered minor injuries.
“A hallmark of the FBI is that we don’t forget,” Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office, said in a news release. “There were children onboard the train as young as 9 months old, an innocent man lost his life, and many others were injured.
“For 25 years the victims of this crime, their family, and friends have suffered,” Kaul added. “We will continue to aggressively pursue this investigation, for as long as it takes. We are determined to seek justice for the victims of this senseless crime.”
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $310,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the derailment. The FBI is offering up to $250,000, while Amtrak is offering up to $50,000, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is offering up to $10,000.
This case is being investigated jointly by the FBI, Amtrak Police Department, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
“This was just six months after the Oklahoma City bombing, it was fresh on everyone’s minds. People were on edge,” Michael Lum, a special agent in the Federal Protective Service and a member of the FBI task force investigating the wreck, said in a news release.
“There were young children and elderly people on board. Some of the victims said this really ruined their lives—they had PTSD, serious injuries,” Lum added. “These victims were deeply affected.”
Anyone with information about the derailment should contact the FBI Phoenix Field Office at (623) 466-1999 or tips.fbi.gov.
