A 22-year-old West Babylon, New York man has been identified as the pedestrian critically injured in a Utica train accident last week. James Salles was a student at Utica University. He was hospitalized after being struck by a train at the end of Bryant Street in West Utica, according to the Utica Police Department.
Police Lt. Michael Curley stated that they were contacted just after 10 a.m. of a “injured individual on the train tracks.” Police and emergency workers responded, and the male victim was transported to Wynn Hospital for treatment. Their status was not immediately available. Curley stated that the circumstances surrounding the injuries are still under investigation. Bryant Street is a dead-end residential street that runs north from Oriskany Street West on the city’s west side.
As many of you have heard, James Salles sustained a catastrophic brain injury while attending college. He is currently in critical condition, facing the most difficult battle of his life. Those who know James understand his strength, resilience, and fighting spirit. We’ve seen him be a powerhouse on the football field, and we know he still has that fight. But he is more than just an athlete; he is a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend to many who cherish and respect him. We hope to see his gorgeous, bashful smile again soon.
A GoFundMe Account was created to help raise funds for James Salles’s hospital bills. “We ask you to join us in praying for James, asking God to place His healing hands on him and to wrap His loving arms around his parents, Maryanne and Frank, his brother Frankie, and his extended family. They need comfort and strength as they stay by his side in this unimaginably difficult time.”
