Officials: Report Friday that LIRR train hit pedestrian 'unfounded'

Police and railroad personnel investigated a 911 call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck by a Long Island Rail Road train in Farmingdale on Friday, but said the call proved to be "unfounded."

Nassau County police said the call was received at 12:17 p.m. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the 11:14 a.m. train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma was stopped at the Clinton Street crossing on the Ronkonkoma Branch -- just west of the Farmingdale station.

But investigators were unable to find evidence anyone had been struck by the train.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the railroad said: "An investigation by the MTA Police and the Long Island Rail Road confirms that an earlier report that a train bound for Ronkonkoma had struck a trespasser at the Clinton Avenue crossing in Farmingdale is unfounded."

The railroad said the train was delayed 44 minutes.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”