Buckingham Branch Railroad CEO Mark Bryant responded to inquiries concerning two fatalities reported Sunday along a train route that crossed Waynesboro and Crozet.

Buckingham Branch Railroad, based in Dillwyn, owns the segment of railway where the two accidents occurred.

The first fatality on the train track was reported at approximately noon on Sunday, according to representatives from the Albemarle County Police Department in a statement.

“At approximately noon on Sunday, Albemarle County Police officers responded to a report of a person who was struck by a westbound train operated by Buckingham Branch Railroad in Crozet, near Marymart Farm Road and Lanetown Road,” the statement cited. “The victim, Sebastian Herrera, a 39-year-old male of Waynesboro, was deceased on arrival. This investigation is ongoing and no further information will be released at this time. This incident is not being investigated as a criminal matter.”

Multiple news sources, including The News Virginian, cited that a second fatality occurred before 3 p.m. Sunday in the 900 block of West Broad Street in Waynesboro.

Taylor Dalton Stevens, 32, of Waynesboro, died from the incident.

The News Virginian cited that Stevens appeared to be lying on the tracks when first spotted by train crew.

“Crew members sounded the horn and attempted to stop the train, the release said. However, they were unable to stop before hitting Stevens,” the report cited.

A representative of the Waynesboro Police Department was not available for comment before press time.

Bryant said two crew members are typically placed on a train. The first is the engineer who drives the train and controls the breaks. The second is the conductor, who manages the train, and determines when or where train cars are picked up or dropped off. Bryant said both the engineer and conductor performed all necessary safety protocols during these instances.

“In this case, the train was being operated properly, normally, safely and our crew did everything they could to avoid the accident,” Bryant said. “But trains cannot stop quickly.”

Bryant also confirmed that crew members alerted the individuals on the track by sounding the horn and throwing the brakes as hard as they could.

He said in the 30 years Buckingham Branch Railroad has been in service, no instances like this have occurred.

“This is unusual, and very sad too,” Bryant said. “Nobody wins in these situations.”

Bryant said CSX and Amtrak also operate on the train line.

Bryant said the company, which employs approximately 80 people, is performing protocols following these instances.

He said the company is offering services such as counseling for the crew involved and allowing crew to take time off work before returning to operate a train.

“In the railroad industry, we are very sensitive about this,” Bryant said. “These incidents are very hard on the train crews.”

He said the crew members remain employed with Buckingham Branch Railroad.

Bryant encouraged people to avoid walking on or near railroad tracks whenever possible.

Bryant said the crew members were operating a freight train, but as the investigation remains pending, he said information about the number of freight cars or the material on the freight cars was not available.