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Lowellville High junior struck and killed by a train
By Denise Dick
LOWELLVILLE
A bouquet and three long-stemmed roses mark the place where Caitlyn Compton was struck by a train and killed early Monday.
Caitlyn, 16, of Queisner Avenue, a junior at Lowellville High School, was in the information-technology program at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, according to a group of her career center friends gathered at the train tracks Monday afternoon.
Carly Wagner and Randy Ginniss, both MCCTC students, embraced, consoling each other about their friend’s death.
Carly, a junior from North Jackson, fought tears as she spoke of Caitlyn.
“She was fun, crazy, energetic,” she said.
“Every time I saw her, she had a smile on her face,” added Victoria Lorenzi, a senior from Struthers. “She was like Christmas in a body.”
Randy, a senior from Campbell, said she was the first person he hugged every day upon arriving at school.
“I looked forward to seeing her at school,” he said.
A news release from the Mahoning County Coroner’s office said “a handwritten note in the decedent’s pants pocket suggests that this was an intentional act.” The investigation is ongoing.
Joseph S. Ohr, coroner’s office forensic pathologist, conducted an autopsy. There was no evidence of alcohol or drug use contributing to the death, but toxicology results are pending, the news release said.
Carly last spoke with Caitlyn on Sunday night.
“She was having a rough night, and she wanted me to come pick her up,” Carly said. “I told her I couldn’t – my car didn’t have any gas – so we just talked.”
The call ended about 1 a.m.
About 3 a.m., Carly got a call from another friend.
“He said, ‘Something’s wrong with Cat. She’s not answering her phone,’” she said.
Later that morning, another friend called.
“They said that she had jumped in front of a train,” Carly said.
Police and fire departments were called just after 6:30 a.m. on a report that a pedestrian was struck and killed by a train.
The accident occurred near the intersection of Cooper Street and Youngstown-Lowellville Road. The Stavich Bike Trail, a popular recreation spot for cyclists and dog walkers, runs along the train tracks. Lowellville High School is nearby.
Neighbors who live near the tracks didn’t hear anything unusual. Renee Haggerty has lived in her Youngstown-Lowellville Road home for less than two years but in the village for 10.
“You get used to the train,” she said. She said she was awakened by her dogs’ barking at flashing emergency lights.
Cheryl Westfall has lived in her Cooper Street home a few doors down for about 10 years. She said she was awake but didn’t hear anything unusual.
Neighbors said that about 10 years ago, a man committed suicide by jumping in front of a train.
Village Police Chief Rick Jamrozik said the department is working with the coroner, school officials and representatives of CSX railroad in the investigation.
Ron Iarussi, superintendent of the MCCTC and the Mahoning County Educational Service Center, said counselors were at the career center Monday and will be at Lowellville High School today. That school was closed Monday.
The friends who gathered at the spot where Caitlyn died said their school days won’t be the same without her.
“I’m not even going to sit at the same table anymore,” Randy said. “We’re going to move tables.”
Being in the same place where the friends met for lunch and before school would be too painful with one friend missing.
“I would look up, expecting to see her – and she wouldn’t be there,” Randy said.