Police Officer, Civilian Injured Saving Child

[Cidp24]

Train Hits Stalled Van, 2 Rescuers Hurt
MILWAUKEE (May 25) - A freight train
smashed into a minivan stuck on the tracks
Monday as a police officer struggled to help
a man pull his wife and child to safety.
They got the woman out but the 2-year-old
boy was still inside when the 94-car train
rammed the vehicle, crumpling the front
and throwing the van into the two men. The
child was unhurt, but both men suffered injuries,
said Jim Gage, police chief in suburban
Elm Grove.
He said the men were underoing surgery
and he didn’t know their conditions.
It was not clear why the van was stopped on
the tracks, but it appeared the driver, Monica
Ensley-Partenfelder, 40, got caught in
traffic, Gage said. The accident happened
about 9:40 a.m., less than hour before the
nearby start of the town’s Memorial Day
parade, which was canceled because of the
accident.
The husband, Scott Partenfelder, 47, had
been traveling behind the van in another
vehicle with two other children and went to
help his wife and child along with the officer,
Gage said.
He identified the officer as John Krahn, 41,
a 17-year veteran.
A witness, Tim Weiner, told reporters that
the officer was trying to save the child after
helping get the mother.
“He was reaching in the back when the
train hit the car,” Weiner said. “He was trying
to get the child out. It was unbelievable.
This guy is a hero. ... He didn’t have to risk
his life.”
Associated Press writer M.L. Johnson contributed
to this report.

[krauty]

wow...prayers sent to all involved

[Jenna]

Hope they recover quickly.

[lewisipso]

Hero indeed!

[Shoestring]

Wow, its an honor to have people like that in law enforcement and its a shame that people like that have to get hurt.

Prayers for a speedy recovery

[k-9max]

Prayer enroute to all involved...

[BigDawg]

Prayers for a speedy recovery for all involved!

[Odd]

Well done Officer Krahn. Full and speedy recovery for you and the father.
Bit of update :

The woman and child were unhurt, said Jim Gage, the police chief in suburban Elm Grove.

The officer, 41-year-old John Krahn, was in satisfactory condition Monday evening following surgery, said Kim Wick, a spokeswoman for Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee. Scott Partenfelder, 47, was in critical condition Monday night after surgery that lasted nearly eight hours, the hospital said.

Gage said he was proud of Krahn, a 17-year veteran.

"He did an awesome job," Gage said. "... I wish it would have been different. You don't want to see anybody getting hurt at all, especially a person like him, who's just been an awesome guy to work with and has done a great job for us."

Witness Tim Weiner told reporters on the scene that he saw a police officer come "out of nowhere to help out." After the officer helped the woman, he tried to save the boy, Weiner said.

"He was reaching in the back when the train hit the car," he said. "He was trying to get the child out. It was unbelievable. This guy is a hero .... He didn't have to risk his life."

Weiner ran over to the officer and thought he hurt his leg and shoulder.

"He just told me, 'Go to the car, get the kid out of there,'" he said. "Here he was laying in pain and all he thought about was getting that kid out. Amazing."

[121Traffic]

To a speedy recovery!

That being said, I have some major raillines running through my jurisdiction. I probably hit a train delay 4-5 times a night. It always amazes me when people stop at red lights directly on the tracks, or even within about 30 feet of a rail line. Do they realize what's going to happen if a train derails? Maybe you're not on the tracks, but nosing up to the crossing arms is suicide too.

[Buttercup]

Well done Officer Krahn. Full and speedy recovery for you and the father.

+1

[Captain America]

Bravo Zulu , Ofc. Krahn. Prayers for fast and full recoveries to you and the father.

[keith720]

I was listening to the radio at work today, a local talk show did about an hour on this accident. It was great that they were recognizing the Officer as the hero he is.