A Hope College freshman was tragically struck and killed by an oncoming freight train late Monday night. According to the school reports, Joshua P. Boerigter was struck at about 8:45 p.m. at a train crossing near the Depree Art Center.
Police reported that the CSX train was going about 20 mph and that the engineer attempted to use the emergency brakes to stop the train when he spotted a man on the tracks. Boerigter was a third generation Hope College attendee and was known by friends and professors at the school as "JP".
Members of the Hope community gathered on Tuesday at the school chapel for prayer and reflection.
